My Favorite Album
I like a lot of music. As I speak, I have Amos Lee, The Bravery, Ray Charles, David Gray, Seether, and Sneaker Pimps in my winamp playlist.
But regardless of that playlist?s inherent quality, there is only one album I can truly say I can listen to over and over and not get tired of it.
While I have stated my favorite bands are Smashing Pumpkins and REM, as much as I love their music I simply wear it out. And I hate that. When I find a great record, such as Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness or Automatic for the People, I will listen to it over and over (and over), trying to digest its brilliance in each repeat, but fail in keeping it fresh. The problem of music getting stale due to overuse is something I?ve fought a long time. Today I even try to limit listening to my favorite new music, in a vain attempt to keep it fresh longer. Hiding a great album in an obscure directory is no different than using the twisty-tie on your bread?freshness is something that needs diligence, and I?m no stranger to it.
But like all things, they deteriorate and they breakdown with each listen. Even albums I was sure I would be listening to for years and years may not last a fraction of that estimate.
The album I can listen to in full, over and over, is Sarah McLachlan?s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. The haunting Possession. The whimsy Ice Cream. The beautiful Mary or the poignant Good Enough. While I love her later albums, Surfacing in particular began my love affair with her music, Sarah has never been stronger on Fumbling and it shows. Practically every single track shines with subdued brilliance.
Of course, it?s hard to really argue with yourself after throwing out such an impressive complement as ?subdued brilliance?, but I simply can?t think of an album that I?ve listened to more over the years and continue to come back to. Ever been surfing up and down your mp3 folder list, trying to find something that you want to listen to? I do it all the time, and when the options are slim, Fumbling hits the playlist and I lose myself in its excellence.
I love new music, and I love my old favorites. But when you have worn out your ?new? favorite records, and your ?old? favorite records, the ones that really shine are those you don?t mind listening to again and again. Maybe someday I?ll cull them. But as for #1, I?ve known that one for a long time.
Perfect record? Nah, I doubt there is such a thing. It may be perfect to me, but perfect to everybody is a misnomer. But that?s all right. Good Enough, even.
2 Comments:
Whereas I agree with the freshness bit, and I also agree with REM and Smashing Pumpkins - I also love the diversity of Ray Charles and such, I'm a Billy Joel man myself - Sarah has never spun my wheels. To each his own. I do recommend the following:
Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want to Be
Bought this disk whilst walking out of Best Buy. It was an impulse buy for magic related reasons, and well worth it.
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
Yeah there's all the poppy stuff on the radio. Track 12 makes the whole disk worth it - Beautiful Disaster (live). If given the chance, check out that track.
William Shatner - Has Been
You have not lived until you have heard Shatner's album. The touchdown is Track one - Common People. There are hidden gems the rest of the way. Fair warning - some of it is a car wreck, no matter what you won't want to turn it off.
I have a longer laundry list of music - but start with these.
-The Edd
I love that album too (Fumbling Towards Ecstacy). The first time I ever heard her sing was five minutes before I married my wife.
We were sitting on a couch in the home of a Justice of the Peace. We were eloping, so to speak, and had come to him without any notice. He was an older man (late 60's in my recollection) and MTV was playing her video Possession. We both noticed the quality of the song and looked her up later.
So, in a sense, we've always considered this to be our "wedding song."
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