My theory on what makes a good record is this: my favorite song on the record constantly changes and if each song on the record has been my favorite, it is an excellent record and I never ever want to live without it. I feel it’s pretty simple. My top 5 records of all time (which aren’t really 5-there is a top 4 and the 5th one rotates because I can’t commit) are records I would die without.
So today I started my project of listening to all 1001 albums from “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.” With each record, I want to try to figure what makes each of these records an “essential” record that a person must hear before they die. I am really excited about this because there are so many records out there that I haven’t heard and have always wanted to. I want to learn more about other genres of music, think about some of my favorite records in a different way and hopefully discover a lot of stuff out there that I never even dreamed to be apart of my music collection.
Flipping though the book before, I noticed some records that I don’t care to revisit or even hear in their entirety. I thought about skipping those records but I won’t learn from them and I would be cheating and that would kill me. So, I want to try to listen to each one more than once, even the dreaded ones. I can’t decide whether to post all my thoughts and such about it on this blog or start a separate one. For now, here’s what I listened to today:
Bjork “Medulla”: I bought this record the second day it came out as it wasn’t in any of the 5 stores I went to the day it did come out. I plan to revisit the documentary about the making of Medulla and the videos this week. After 10+ years of trying to push Bjork onto other people, I have finally come to understand that she is a very abrasive artist, even at her quietest. I admire her to no end for her strength and vision and when she sings, I feel it in my gut. It is very comforting to know that I get to revisit two more of her records before this project is over (Vespertine and Debut) although my favorite record of hers and of all time, Homogenic, didn’t make the list.
Anyway, this was the record that was done with only voices (except a gong somewhere). My favorite track (it changes but it usually comes back to this one) is “Show Me Forgiveness.” It gives me goosebumps every time I hear it and sometimes brings tears if I am in a mood. She is singing alone about losing her faith in herself and forgiving herself for it. It is powerful and it is something I have experienced time and time again. One of the major reasons why she is one of my favorite artists is that she has a strong woman’s perspective in her music. I feel like she is singing for, to, and about me and other women. I don’t feel that too often when I listen to music, especially indie rock. I feel it’s not for me, as a girl/woman. I feel like I have snuck my way in. i am posting her performance of “Pleasure is All Mine” from Coachella 2007. It’s another song that gives me goosebumps and the chills when I hear it, especially the line “women like us strengthen most.”
Depeche Mode “Music for the Masses”: I hadn’t listened to this record in years and only listened to it twice today and kept on getting interrupted during. I did notice the recurring theme in some of their songs about “little girl(s)” in “Little 15″ “Behind the Wheel” and “Enjoy the Silence” (from Violator). When I figured that out this morning, I was immediately fascinated. I cannot wait to look into this more but not tonight as I am exhausted. I am going to listen to this record a couple more times tomorrow. I do know that my favorite song on this record is and will always be “Behind the Wheel.” I have no rhyme or reason behind it but it’s perfection.
I need to load some records I haven’t heard onto the ipod and get myself down to the library and check out some cds. This is good project.
Goodnight.
