Another beginning
Last year, about a year ago, I started doing this thing because I was inspired by a music blog out of Dublin called “The Torture Garden” the curator, Shane, had put up a best of 2006 listing and I was just amazed at all the new bands and music that I found and/or rediscovered through another person’s eyes. I already had many of the albums in his suggestion list of 2006’s best but had set them aside without many listens. Thanks to Shane for the inspiration.
Yesterday, I found another source that has been right under my nose for at least the last 10 years. NPR. Bun and I listen to NPR and WPR every day and every night. It has become the background soundtrack to our lives. If the TV’s not on or the stereo isn’t playing, Public Radio is on somewhere in the house.
Several times a week there are music reviews by NPR writers like Stephen Thompson or John Schaefer from WNYC. Now that it’s the end of the year again, I’m coming across these gentlemen’s Best Of lists and am finding much of the same things I found last year. Check out Music at NPR. I’m finding for some reason I already own most of the albums that they are all talking about and I’ve already purchased a new one this morning from the band “Stars” on the advice of Mr. Thompson.
The one album I’m seeing on EVERYONES list this year is “Challengers” by The New Pornographers. I bought it a couple of months ago and have shared it with Bun and our 19 year old daughter but that’s it. How could everyone in the world already know about this album? I’m guessing the reason is because it’s so great. And different. And cool. (I never claimed to be a writer, I just do sometimes)
Here’s a couple: In Our Bedroom After The War by Stars - buy - and My Rights Versus Yours by The New Pornographers from Challengers - buy
My Rights Versus Yours [4:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download In Our Bedroom After The War [6:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadI doubt if I’ll be so bold as to put out a best of 2007 (There’s so much that’s good and so many styles. I couldn’t do it) but just keep listening over the next year and you might hear the best of 2008.
Alvin