Better a list of CDs I keep in my car, or tapes I keep in my locker. Alas, portable music tech isn’t as hip as it used to be. In order to listen whenever I like, with or without internet access, I keep these seven albums synced to my phone:
1) Fear of Music – Talking Heads
Fear of Music is not my favorite album. I don’t even think it’s the best Talking Heads album (though it’s very, very good). No, this album is my reset button.
It came into my life at a strange and difficult time, when every song I’d ever heard felt heavy with memories, and here was this pure thing, new to me, that had never been played in my old life, that I’d never listened to with anyone, that no one had ever recommended to me, that I’d never had on in the background while fighting or fucking or having a dark night of the soul. And it was good! The songs were about a lot of things, but mostly they were about rock and roll. I listened to it straight through. Then again. And over the coming weeks and months, probably 50 or 60 more times, maybe more, while I waited to heal and for music, all music, to feel safe again. The magic that it worked for me then is weaker, now, but it was quite powerful, and the echoes are still strong enough when I need them.
(It sounds like lazy scriptwriting to me now that our protagonist used an album called Fear of Music to overcome a fear of music, but that’s really what happened.)
2) Silver Age – Bob Mould
Layers on layers on layers of guitar. Lyrics you can listen to or not depending on your mood. This one always does it for me. Maybe a weird choice to long-time Bob Mould fans but I didn’t have a cool older brother to introduce me to Hüsker Dü. Silver Age was my Bob Mould starting point, and remains my favorite.
3) Ambient 1: Music for Airports – Brian Eno
Hands-down the best album I know for falling asleep to. I mean that as a compliment. Very calming.
4) The Moon & Antarctica – Modest Mouse
A perfect album containing several perfect songs. Too emotional to listen to too frequently. I carry this like an EpiPen, like a vial of holy water. Unused, a comforting totem. And damn useful in case of emergency.
5) Dig Me Out – Sleater-Kinney
I actually keep the entire Sleater-Kinney catalog on my phone, but Dig Me Out is the one I would keep if space was getting low. I think. Maybe One Beat. Or…yeah, Dig Me Out. I think. Maybe.
Sleater-Kinney shocks my brain in a good way. Wakes me up, makes me feel big, like traveling, like moving, like starting something. It’s a great soundtrack for not knowing quite what you’re getting into.
6) To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
Do I even need to explain? No, I do not.
(If you’d like someone to explain it anyway, try Season 1 of the Dissect podcast.)
7) We Don’t Even Live Here – P.O.S
Another perfect album. We Don’t Even Live Here is like a stimpack for any activity. For example: If I got put into a Thunderdome sort of situation, I’d want this album on hand to pick some entrance music from.
*** Originally published as List No. 38 of the 7x77 newsletter project.