Music!

In the same manner as the last post (Books!), this post is to discuss the music that I have "discovered" and really enjoyed.  This stuff may be old news, or even REALLY old news, but all stuff that I like, and obviously stuff that I think you should check out and give to friends and family--the whole point of this list.  Again, no particular order.  Disclaimer: I don't really review music.  I'm not a musician.  I don't know about musical Stuff.  This is about music I like, for whatever reason.

No. 1: Age of Miracles, by Mary Chapin Carpenter

So, I'm not a middle-aged female, but I really enjoyed this album.  I heard an interview with Carpenter on the Diane Rehm show and they played just a couple clips of the album, and I was hooked.  The music is beautiful, the lyrics thoughtful, and some of the songs are very catchy.  My mom is a big MCC fan, and I bought her the album for Mother's Day, and she really liked it, too.  It didn't blow me away the way that some of her earlier work has, but it's wonderful, especially to listen to while driving with the windows down on a gorgeous day (I mean, just look at the cover!).

No. 2: Sawdust, by The Killers

This came out in 2007, so it's probably already been noted by the general public and everyone has moved on.  But I come to most things late, and I heard pretty mixed reviews--not even really mixed, just generally lukewarm--about the album, so I delayed in listening to it.  Regret.  I wish I had listened to it immediately.  I love it.  It has covers, b-sides, and rerecordings, and it's wonderful.  The opening track has Lou Reed singing on it, and it. is. awesome.  The whole album feels much darker than their others, and that first song really sets that tone.  To put it simply, it rocks.

No. 3: Room on Fire, by The Strokes

This whole album is damn catchy and fun.  I don't think the individual songs stand out as much as do the songs on Is This It? but they all hold up to listening in sequence or separated, like on shuffle.  I also like to listen to it in the mornings to help wake up or while I'm working out--get that blood pumping!  I haven't yet listened to their latest album (2006), but I will.  And I will love it.  Because it's The Strokes.  I worry that people who don't like them may possibly be the undead.  (If you don't like The Strokes, here are some questions to consider: Do you have a pulse?  Do you breathe?  Regularly?  Do you eat brains?  Just think about it.)

No. 4: Fraise Vanille, by Helena

There should probably be accents over one or both of the e's in her name, but I don't know how they should face or where they should go, and since I didn't find the answer on the first page of results from my Google search, I gave up.  So there you go.  It doesn't really matter anyway.  But the album, that DOES matter.  Its happy songs are bouncy and delightful and the more serious songs are gentle and bittersweet.  Of course, this descriptions and even the categories of "happy" or "serious" are drawn only from the sound of the music, because I don't speak French.  The whole time, I have no idea what she's saying, what the song is about, etc.  However, that doesn't stop me from really enjoying it.  A special recognition needs to be given to the very last track, "La Bécasse," (ha!  Got that accent.)  This song is amazing.  If you are in a sour, grumpy, or just plain bad mood, this song can magically throw that mood in the trashcan and replace it with rainbows and sunshine.  I challenge you: If you can remain in a bad mood (for real, guys) while listening to that song, I will do the Peanut Butter Jelly Time dance for you.

No. 5: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, by Phoneix

So, when I find an album that I really get into, or even just a song or two, I do this thing where I listen to it over and over and over again until I'm absolutely sick of it, and then I don't even want to think about it again for eight months.  I think I've listened to this approximately 47,397 times, and I'm nowhere near being sick of it.  The first two songs are by far the catchiest, but the whole album is solid.  The third track is all instrumental, for which I generally have little patience, but I listen to it anyway because I like this CD so much.  No, I haven't listened to their earlier albums yet, but I plan to as soon as is humanly possible.  Until then, I'll just keep the CD in my car and the album on my ipod and listen nonstop.