If you walk through the house and/or hop in our cars and hit the eject buttons on the various CD, DVD or Cassette players here's what you'll find right now:
MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE:
If you listen to the words alone it's incredible. If you listen to just the
music it's amazing. Combine the two and you've got something indispensable.
I rediscover this album every other year or so and each time I wonder why
Elvis hasn't been given his own kingdom or something.
JASON MRAZ: I picked
up this CD in Oregon as I drove around Salem
in a rental car looking for the state capital. I got snagged by the first
single off this CD and was pleasantly surprised that the rest of his tunes
are just as good.
THE
DONNER PARTY: A leftover from college days. Sounds a lot like three people
having a great time out in the garage. Jangly pop. Fun lyrics ("When
you die your eyes pop-out, your head becomes a mushy lump").
IMPERIAL
BEDROOM: Elvis Costello. The most underrated artist of our time (Debbie
is rolling her eyes). A great poet. An even better songwriter. The only Elvis
that truly rocks.
FOR
THE KIDS: Allie has this in her CD player. We usually listen to it during
bath time. If you have kids, you need this album. Allie likes it. I love it.
You'll recognize a lot of the songs here. Cake's version of "Mahna Mahna"
is worth the price of the entire CD. Plus you get a free crayon.
ONE
BY ONE: I never really cared for Nirvana. This I like. I have most of
the Foo Fighter's albums; this just happens to be the most recent. Dave Grohl
is very smart. There's a DVD and an enhanced CD (just like their last album)
so if you want the full story you'll have to give them money.
NICKEL
CREEK: Really great bluegrass. Allie and I used to dance a lot to this
album. Have you ever tried to dance with a two-year-old to up-tempo bluegrass?
Whoa.
POLLOCK
SOUNDTRACK: I bought this because Alton Brown suggested it on his site.
I put it here because this is what I'm listening to as I type these very words.
Frenetic? If I use that word to describe this music then I've read too many
freakin' music reviews on Amazon.com.
PET
SOUNDS: The only Beach Boys album you'll find in my house. Often requested
by Allie. Not so much for the music but because I think for a while it's the
only artist she could remember ("Beaches Boys, Daddy!"). Too bad
Brian Wilson flipped out. The only B. Boys song I wish I had that's not on
this album is "Good Vibrations".
AUDIO:
I spent $89 on a ticket to see Blue Man Group in Las Vegas. It actually was
worth every single penny. I was blown away. I played the part of fan boy and
ordered the Surround Sound 5.1 mix of their music to play on the new system
downstairs. It really sounds very cool. Especially when you turn up the volume
(I love percussion). This is a DVD, but it's all about the music. There are
some images. Unfortunately, Allie doesn't think men with shiny blue heads
look particularly friendly. When I popped this recording in the DVD I wasn't
aware I had the sound turned up and that a huge blue face with wide, white
eyes would burst on to the big screen TV. Allie screamed for two minutes.
Solid.