This past year, I started keeping a log of purchases every week, and a cursory look at those entries show how much catalog has taken over my collection.
Like last year, many of these purchases come from Lifelong Thrift Store or Goodwill. A month-long CD sale at Easy Street Records contributed quite a number of titles. I’ve whittled down nearly 600 purchases to a list of Favorite 10.
Catalog
- Patti Smith, Horses: The first time I played this album, I didn’t get it. So I played a few more times and became fascinated with it on each play.
- Boris, Pink: I remember other Japanese indie rock fans fawning over this album, and it’s taken me 12 years to get around to finding out why.
- David Bowie, Scary Monsters: At first I was going to be boring and choose Ziggy Stardust or Let’s Dance as my favorite Bowie album, but this one takes it, hands down.
- Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska: I like the story of how this album came about just as much as I like the end result.
- Fugazi, The Argument: Fugazi didn’t make a bad album, just less good ones. The Argument would probably be Fugazi’s best album if 13 Songs and Repeater weren’t in the way.
- Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark: I went on a Joni Mitchell binge this year, and this album is the only one I really like. Sorry, Blue.
- Roxy Music, Avalon: Quite the dapper album.
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced: It’s weird how familiar this album feels after years of hearing covers by Kronos Quartet, Sting and Emmylou Harris.
- The Pogues, Rum Sodomy and the Lash: I didn’t accommodate the Pogues during my Celtic phase of the mid-90s because they were more rock than Celtic.
- Wire, Pink Flag: I’m also fond of the self-titled Killing Joke album.
The last half of the year was stuffed with reissues that were of particular interest for me.
Reissues
- Art of Noise, In No Sense? Nonsense! (Deluxe Edition): (Who’s Afraid Of …?) The Art of Noise! may have all the hits, but the post-ZTT albums from 1986 and 1987 are the band’s creative peak.
- Camouflage, Voices and Images (30th Anniversary Edition): This reissue received a limited run in Germany, so pick it up before they’re all gone.
- Johnny Hates Jazz, Turn Back the Clock (30th Anniversary Edition): The acoustic re-recording of this album works quite well, given how reliant the original was on MIDI.
- Kate Bush, Remastered Part I and Remastered Part II: It’s apparent on which side Kate takes in the loudness wars, because these remasters do nothing with the volume. In the case of The Red Shoes, it’s actually pulled back. But they sound great, particularly Part I.
- Julee Cruise, The Voice of Love: I so dug Floating Into the Night that I didn’t think it could be topped. It wasn’t, because The Voice of Love is a different beast.
- Sasagawa Miwa, Houjou -BEST 03-18-: I passed on the two most recent Sasagawa Miwa albums, but this retrospective does a good job of highlighting the best parts of her output.
- Frank Ocean, Endless: This album was better than Blonde.
- Prince, Piano and a Microphone 1983: How about a vinyl reissue of the Love Symbol album?
Tags: boris, bruce springsteen, camouflage, david bowie, favorite edition, frank ocean, fugazi, jimi hendrix, johnny hates jazz, joni mitchell, julee cruise, kate bush, patti smith, prince, roxy music, sasagawa miwa, the art of noise, the pogues, wire
A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.
Back in February, I argued 2002 was an important year in music of the 2000s. 2003 is no slouch in that regard either. The list from that year sees no major changes.
- Shiina Ringo, Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana
- ACO, Irony
- Molotov, Dance and Dense Denso
- Café Tacuba, Cuatro Caminos
- ART-SCHOOL, LOVE/HATE
- Sasagawa Miwa, Jijitsu
- bloodthirsty butchers, Kouya ni Okeru bloodthirsty butchers
- Bonnie Pink, Present
- downy, untitled third album
- Explosions in the Sky, The Earth Is Not a Cold, Dead Place
Other favorites from the year:
- Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
- Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism
- Bleach, Bleach
- The Postal Service, Give Up
- NUMBER GIRL, Sapporo OMOIDE IN MY HEAD Joutai
- Onitsuka Chihiro, Sugar High
- Original Cast Recording, Avenue Q
- Emmylou Harris, Stumble Into Grace
- NIRGILIS, Tennis
- Rufus Wainwright, Want One
- Hayashi Asuca, Saki
- Caitlin Cary, I’m Staying Out
- The Bad Plus, These Are the Vistas
- DJ Krush, Shinsou ~Message from the Depth~
- Benjamin Gibbard / Andrew Kenny, Home, Vol. 5
- The Wrens, The Meadowlands
- Longwave, The Strangest Things
The only change is switching out Explosions in the Sky for Outkast, and the extended list adds the Wrens and Longwave.
I was working at Waterloo Records in 2003, and legitimate download services hadn’t gotten off the ground yet to stem the tide of rampant file sharing. So I was discovering a lot of great music through word of mouth and on the job.
While I’ve added a number of 2003 titles to my collection in the following years, few have edged their way into this already crowded field.
So I guess I’m pretty set where 2003 is concerned.
Tags: aco, andrew kenny, art-school, benjamin gibbard, bleach, bloodthirsty butchers, bonnie pink, cafe tacuba, caitlyn cary, death cab for cutie, dj krush, downy, emmylou harris, explosions in the sky, favorite edition, hayashi asuca, longwave, molotov, nirgilis, number girl, onitsuka chihiro, outkast, rewind, rufus wainwright, sasagawa miwa, shiina ringo, soundtrack, the bad plus, the postal service, the wrens
A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.
The further we get from the present day, the more we’ll find retroactive changes to the Favorite Edition lists. The 2007 list sees a lot of shifting in the Favorite 10, and a number of retroactive additions.
- Explosions in the Sky, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
- UA, Golden green
- The Dead Betties, Nightmare Sequence
- Björk, Volta
- unkie, the Price of Fame
- Nico Muhly, Speaks Volumes
- Stephen Sondheim, Company (2006 Cast Recording)
- Once, Music from the Motion Picture
- Sasagawa Miwa, Mayoi Naku
- Tokyo Jihen, Goraku (Variety)
Other favorites from the year:
- Synapse/Elliott Cole, The Oracle Hysterical
- Tommy heavenly6, Heavy Starry Heavenly
- Kawai Kenji, Seirei no Moribito
- Office, A Night at the Ritz
- M.I.A., Kala
- The National, Boxer
- Band of Horses, Cease to Begin
- Jason Isbell, Sirens of the Ditch
The cast recording for 2006 production of Company gets a retroactive boost, missing the Favorite 10 the first time out. A PBS broadcast of the revival directed by John Doyle went a long way in raising its ranking.
I didn’t discover the Dead Betties till a year and some change after the release of Nightmare Sequence, and it would have shot up to the Favorite 10 had I known about it. The album doesn’t lose its punch more than a decade on.
Rufus Wainwright’s Release the Stars and Smashing Pumpkins’ Zeitgeist fall of the list entirely. I think those albums earned their place on the Favorite 10 because I was not paying attention to what was happening in 2007, if the expanded list is any indication.
I’m not sure I actually like The National, but I remember catching the band’s appearance on Live from the Artists Den and thinking Matt Berninger was a tall drink of water. Boxer is rather fine album, nonetheless.
I would not have picked up Band of Horses without Renée Fleming. I get them mixed up with the Band of Heathens and Band of Skulls.
I didn’t actually like Sirens of the Ditch the first time I listened to it. I was just starting to explore Jason Isbell’s work after hearing Southeastern, and I wanted everything to sound like it. I had no context about his work with Drive-By Truckers. Sirens of the Ditch is closer to his work with the Truckers than his more recent albums, and that understanding goes a long way to building appreciation for his solo debut.
Tags: band of horses, bjork, elliott cole, explosions in the sky, favorite edition, jason isbell, kawai kenji, m.i.a., nico muhly, office, rewind, sasagawa miwa, soundtrack, stephen sondheim, the dead betties, the national, tokyo jihen, tommy heavenly6, ua, unkie
I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.
New releases
CD
- Christine and the Queens, Chris
- Sasagawa Miwa, Houjou -BEST ’03~’18-
Files
- Wayne Horvitz, Those Who Remain
Catalog
CD
- Alice in Chains, Dirt
- Chris Isaak, San Francisco Days
- David+David, Boomtown
- Dwight Yoakam, This Time
- Lizz Wright, Dreaming Wide Awake
- Lyle Lovett, The Road to Ensenada
- Thomas Dolby, The Golden Age of Wireless
Vinyl
- Adele, 21
- Alban Berg, Wozzeck (Pierre Boulez, Paris National Opera)
- Everything But the Girl, Eden
- Iron and Wine, The Creek Drank the Cradle
- Weezer, Pinkerton
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Great String Quartets (Amadeus Quartet)
- Soundtrack, Agnes of God
Tags: adele, alban berg, alice in chains, chris isaak, christine and the queens, david+david, dwight yoakam, everything but the girl, iron and wine, lizz wright, lyle lovett, purchase log, sasagawa miwa, thomas dolby, wayne horvitz, weezer
Quite a number of interesting vinyl reissues and deluxe editions coming down the pike …
Cher, Dancing Queen, Sept. 28
I think some gay cultural norm dictates I should show interest in this convergence of iconography, and I do, albeit more from an anthropological standpoint.
Johnny Hates Jazz, Turn Back the Clock (Deluxe Edition), Oct. 5
“Shattered Dreams” is an awesome single, and Turn Back the Clock was a decent album — something I’m glad I encountered but couldn’t consider a must-have. And yet I’m looking forward to this deluxe edition release.
Camouflage, Voices and Images (Deluxe Edition), Oct. 19
I actually like this album more than Turn Back the Clock, and the limited pressing of 1,500 copies for the CD (500 for vinyl) is nudging me to pre-order.
Sasagawa Miwa, Houjou -BEST ’03~’18-, Oct. 31
Has it really been 15 years since Sasagawa Miwa’s debut? This best album contains 10 previously released tracks, 3 new songs and a new version of “Himawari”.
Art of Noise, In No Sense? Nonsense! (Deluxe Edition), Nov. 2
This album doesn’t lend itself to singles as easily as In Visible Silence, but it’s a worthwhile, challenging listen, a period where the band pushed the limits of technology and music.
Dead Can Dance, Dionysus, Nov. 2
Dead Can Dance has always struck me as a band I should have been digging in high school, but at the time, their albums were available only as imports.
Hajime Chitose, Hajime Uta ~Chitose Hajime Amami Shimauta Shu~, Nov. 14
Hajime Chitose returns to her roots as a shima uta singer on this 7-track mini album.
Mikami Chisako, I AM Ready!, Nov. 28
Mikami Chisako starts anew with music reminiscent of fra-foa’s second album, if the YouTube clips on her official site are any indication. I have to admit I’ve missed her, and Chuu no Fuchi is still one of my favorite albums. It’s criminal that it’s out of print.
Vinyl
Living Colour, Time’s Up, Sept. 28
I’d be all over this reissue from Megaforce Records if I hadn’t already found an original pressing a number of years ago. This album doesn’t seem to have had the same impact as its predecessor, but it some ways, it expands and perhaps improves upon Vivid.
YEN TOWN BAND, Montage, Nov. 3
I’ve never encountered a vinyl reissue from YEN TOWN BAND that didn’t immediately sell out.
Utada Hikaru, Hatsukoi, Nov. 7
Any chance for a vinyl reissue of ULTRA BLUE?
Bill Frisell, Nashville, Nov. 9
Bill Frisell had always incorporated Americana, country and folk into his music, but Nashville is the strongest statement of those influences, resulting in one of his most accessible albums. Robin Holcomb shows up on two covers.
Tags: bill frisell, camouflage, cher, dead can dance, johnny hates jazz, living colour, looking ahead, mikami chisako, sasagawa miwa, the art of noise, utada hikaru, yen town band
The fact I can actually post a preview entry this early in the year makes me hopeful we won’t see a repeat of last year’s lopsided schedule.
Igor Stravinsky, Chant Funébre / Le Sacre du Printemps, Jan. 12
This album featuring a newly discovered work by Igor Stravinsky comes out a week after I’ll have heard the Seattle Symphony perform it. I’ll own yet another version of The Rite of Spring, though.
Sasagawa Miwa, Atarashii Sekai, Jan. 31
Last time I checked in with Sasagawa Miwa, she was moving in a jazz direction.
Rhye, Blood, Feb. 2
The singles preceding this album release make me think I ought to place a pre-order.
Steve Reich, Pulse / Quartet, Feb. 2 (vinyl on March 30)
The cover of this album almost fooled me into thinking Reich had gone back to ECM. For proof, compare the Reich cover with John Surman’s forthcoming album Invisible Threads on ECM:
Kronos Quartet and Laurie Anderson, Landfall, Feb. 16
Anderson contributed to Kronos’ Fifty for the Future initiative, and they’ve included the piece in recent concerts. I’m curious to hear more of this collaboration.
Vinyl
My Bloody Valentine, Loveless, Jan. 18 (UK)
Kevin Shields sure went to a lot of trouble remastering this album for vinyl, when it wasn’t really recorded for analog in the first place.
SUPERCAR, HIGHVISION, March 30
SUPERCAR, ANSWER, March 30
I became a SUPERCAR fan just as the band changed its sound, so the recent vinyl reissues of Three Out Change!! and JUMP UP allowed me to discover its early work. I’m coming around to the idea that maybe that first era was better than what followed.
Shiina Ringo, Gyakuyunyuu ~Kuukoukyoku~, March 30
Have you seen how much the Shiina Ringo vinyl reissues from 2009 are going for on the secondhand market? I’ve got mine pre-ordered.
Tags: igor stravinsky, kronos quartet, looking ahead, my bloody valentine, rhye, sasagawa miwa, shiina ringo, steve reich, supercar