06.01.05

A Musical Project…

Posted in My Immaculate Taste in Music, Ponderings at 9:27 pm by Adriene

Jeff’s given me a “project” of sorts to complete. And dang it, it’s hard. But here’s my best shot:

Amount of Music On My Computer:

2.11GB in my iTunes folder. At the moment, 564 songs.

Currently Listening To:

Well, I usually have my iPod on shuffle, but if I had to narrow it down, I’m floating between U2’s Boy, Jem’s Finally Woken, Keane’s Hopes and Fears, and The Killers’ Hot Fuss at the moment.

Five Songs that Mean a Lot to Me:

Now I know how people feel when they’re asked to pick their favorite children. Hahaha. Hmmm. This has required a lot of thought on my part. I picked songs, not necessarily based upon how often I’ve listened to them, but ones that always conjure up fond memories of where I was and what I was doing at the time.

But, like Jeff, I reserve the right to change this at any time:

The Beatles - “In My Life”
Call me a sap. I get a little misty every time I hear this song - it was the song my Daddy and I danced to at my wedding reception. I have fond memories of him twirling me around the dance floor (the man can move for a 55-year-old!) and singing this song along with the music softly as we danced. *sniff*

U2 - “All I Want is You”
Again, another sappy story. This is the song Jeff and I danced to at our wedding - but it’s a lot more than that. I think part of the reason I was so touched that he picked it out was from a story he told me once - he was getting ready to pick me up for one of our very first dates, and he was a little nervous about it. He had walked out of his room at his fraternity house and back in several times to pick up some things he had forgotten before he left (wallet, keys, flowers for me)… and as he was rushing down the hall (he thought he was going to be late), he hears this song floating from behind the doors of one of his brothers’ rooms. And the first thing he thought of when he heard it was how much I liked it.

Over the Rhine - “All I Need is Everything”
This is not, by any stretch, my favorite OtR tune - I like it, but there are others I like so much more. However, this one holds a special place in my heart because it was the very first OtR song Jeff introduced me to. I see it as more than just a song - it was a gesture from him to open himself up and share something he loved with me.

Coldplay - “In My Place”
Chills ran up my spine the first time I heard this song. I remember I was driving home from work in Jeff’s car (the old clunker Blazer was once again being cranky, so it was in the shop), and this came across the waves of 99X. And my first thought was “Dang. This band is more than just a fluke. They’re good.” I’ve been a hardcore fan ever since. (And I’m more than just a tiny bit excited that X&Y comes out next week. Hehehehehe!)

The Normals - “I’ll Be Home Soon”
Geof introduced me to The Normals about a year and a half ago, and I’ve been in love ever since. This is the first track off of A Place Where You Belong, which I bought second after Coming to Life. It’s a very stripped-back tune, Andy on vocals, minimal guitar, occasional backing lyrics. But it’s a beautiful song, and I usually listen to it two or three times through before moving forward on the CD.

Top Five Albums:

I find this only SLIGHTLY less daunting than picking out five songs that mean a lot to me. But here’s my best shot:

5. Over the Rhine - Films for Radio
I know Jeff thinks this one is too “polished” and “corporate,” but I love it. It was probably OtR’s first CD I would have bought on my own without Jeff’s input. I absolultely fell in love with “The World Can Wait” and “Moth” at first listen. And it’s the OtR CD Jeff is most likely to find missing from his collection at any given moment.

4. 10,000 Maniacs - Our Time in Eden
I wore out my first copy of this CD (I didn’t know that was possible, but hey!). I don’t listen to this one as much as I used to in high school, but back in the day, it was usually found constantly in the rotation. Every time I hear “These Are Days,” I immediately think back to many a night spent driving around Savannah with the windows down in the old Jimmy with Amita, Miriam, and Meg in the passenger seats singing it at the top of our lungs. Great memories.

3. Toad the Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea
This was the first Toad CD I ever bought. But I think it’s their most consistent work. I was hooked when I first heard “Fly From Heaven” (”Will this be the end/or is he still ascending…”), and I’m still hooked ten years later (GAH! I’ve owned a CD that long???)

2. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
I have a sneaky suspicion that this one is about to get replaced, but I won’t know that til next week when X&Y comes out. As I mentioned before, this was the first CD where I realized that Coldplay was a legitimate band, and not some fly-by-night sensation that the “cool kids” liked. I think this CD is also what started my recent flirtation with piano-driven rock.

1. U2 - Achtung Baby
I’ve often said that if you had to strand me on a desert island for the rest of my life with only one CD, this would be it. Innovative, calamitous, creative, downright GENIOUS is the only way to describe this CD. From the opening lines of “Zoo Station” (”I’m ready/ready for the laughing gas/I’m ready/ready for what’s next…”) to the final echoing notes of “Love is Blindness” (”Love is blindness/I don’t want to see/won’t you wrap the night/around me…”), this album is a masterpiece. I love it. That’s all there is to say about that.

Last Album Bought:

Jem’s Finally Woken. No, not the cartoon character. Her name is really Jem Griffiths, and she hails from Britain. Sort of techno-driven girlie pop rock. I dig it.

Recent Discoveries:

Thanks to Audioscrobbler, I’m no longer a one-band woman anymore. Here are a few of my recent additions that I’m digging:

Keane
The Killers
Muse
Patty Griffin
The Shins
Remy Zero

Passing it On….

Alright, suckas. You guys are next:

Scott
Kathleen
Suz
Reilly
Roger

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