Use "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide" to find music

I’ve been watching Saturday Night Live from the beginning, and I’m just getting to the end of season 2; it’s been a great way to come across music that I’ve never heard of before, and last night, I saw and heard Joan Armatrading for the first time. My library had 4 of her CDs, so I checked them all out and will listen to them over the next week or two. Yay for novel music!

The album Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen was great. I liked it above all the others but will definitely revisit all the music from time to time. I’m not sure about making it part of my permanent collection.

Next up was Big Star, and hello, Elliot Smith influence. He had to have been a huge fan of this 70s rocky-groove band. The biggest thrill so far has been hearing their cover of Eden Ahbez’s Nature Boy – maybe you heard Ewan MacGregor sing it in the film Moulin Rouge? – and I drove an extra time around the block to hear it again in my truck.

I was mired in the Bs while flipping through The Guide and so stumbled across the dance-mixish Basement Jaxx, and surprisingly, our library had one of their CDs. It served to remind me that I want to find some DJ Cut Killer – I may have to take a virginal trip to Bill’s Records in Dallas to find any – but once I got over the gap (The Boss to Basement Jaxx was not a smooth transition), I really enjoyed it.

Finally, I also checked out the self-titled album by The Beautiful South, and while I’m listening to it again now before I send it back, I am not holding my breath that it will be more memorable on the second listen. I do love it when music proves me wrong, though.

ETA: I’ve got it. The Beautiful South is what it would sound like if the entire second string from Grease got together and made an album, trying to make it sound like nobody was missing. If you like that sort of thing, knock yourself out, but it’s just not for me.

I went with Bruce Springsteen in today’s trip to the library, because he’s remained a bit of a mystery to me thusfar – he’s from Jersey?! I had no idea. He seems very midwestern to me. Iowa. Hmm…

I’m going to give it a shot. I read the entry in the Guide and chose not to get anything after the 80s on the first visit. My guide only goes to the mid-nineties, though, so I may have to check the later version in the reference stacks next time.

This could possibly be too much Talking Heads, which I checked out from the library. It was an impulse grab but I think I’ll take them back after just one listen. I need something that’s more now, or maybe something that just isn’t so “that time in my life”. I read the entry, though. Sometime, I may look for some albums from the Tom Tom Club.

Jim Croce’s greatest hits, four Neko Case albums, and two Ry Cooder CDs, and I’m out the door.

This has been a really FUN goal to fulfill.

I’m totally stoked to have picked up three Pavement albums this week. This is nice music.

Due to my unexpected love of the movie Invincible, and the way the lead Jim Croce song has been popping into my head lately, I suspect he’ll be next. So much for transitions!

I like this Dashboard Confessional album. It may or may not hold up over time, but I’m giving the first listen a thumbs up.

Now might be a good time to mention my struggle with “stuff”. At one point in my life, it seemed like a good idea to aquire more CDs and DVDs and books and things, but now, I’ve come around to the idea that these things really just weigh you down (and make furniture rearranging days really hard work). Maybe I’ve become a stodgy critic in time for my 30s to get into full swing, but I just don’t want to own something unless it makes me really happy. I’ve ended up with a lot of Harry Nilsson.

This will be an interesting experience for me, to preview things online and through the library – how will my small permanent collection change?

Today at the library, I checked out Kristen Hersh, some Pavement, and Dashboard Confessional. More later on my thoughts on this new music.

This was a great CD to check out – “Get Guilty” – the second solo album by a member of The New Pornographers who often played with Neko Case.

Good find!

I’ll be checking out LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”, as well as a Neko Case “Live from Austin” DVD and the second solo album from A.C. Newman of the New Pornographers (who have collaborated with Case on at least two albums).