purge

James Taylor - Greatest Hits

Now have this on vinyl, but must say that this is probably the one album anyone in my family can always agree on. We all saw JT play at the Mark of the Quad Cities back in like ‘99 and it still remains one of the greatest concert experiences of my life. I remember a very drunk man yelling “Steamroller” from the upper deck. JT held up the setlist, saying:

“Hey, we’re right about here” (points to about five songs down on the setlist) “and you’re way down here” (points to the last song—way down there). Maybe you had to be there, but I was absolutely dying.

Best song: Carolina In My Mind

Leo Kottke / Mike Gordon - Clone

This is a fantastic album. I had never heard of Kottke before, but I absolutely love his style and this really turned me onto his solo work.

I remember watching them play at the first or second Bonnaroo and it was absolutely packed with sweaty dudes. I was by myself and made my way up to the third row and was amazed.

I met Mike Gordon years later and tried to tell him how important this album was to me, but had drank a bunch of Jameson on the shore of Lake Michigan an hour earlier and it came out all wrong. What a nice guy, though.

I guess this post isn’t about the music much but I love it. Already ripped to my computer. Next.

Best song: The Collins Missile

Incubus - Megalomaniac [single]

Free Best Buy promo I got when I bought the CD. I actually thought it might be worth something someday, but with a mere 4:24 Radio Edit, I highly doubt it. Thanks for trying.

Best song: Megalomaniac [Radio Edit]

Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Soup

The Hendrix estate is just as bad, if not worse, than the people who handle Bob Marley’s posthumous work. In each case, the families have licensed the shit out of amazing artists, and as a society we end up with a bunch of shitty guitar pedals and fluff documentaries that were really unnecessary.

That isn’t to say that Voodoo Soup isn’t good, because it is. It’s fucking JIMI HENDRIX. But at the same time, the availability of stuff like this kept me from owning a copy of Axis: Bold as Love growing up. That is a travesty. But this is really good, so I’m ripping it.

Best song: Stepping Stone

John & Spencer Booze Explosion - s/t

I bought this for two reasons.

John Atkins is in it, and I was in love with the 764-HERO song “You Were the Long Way Home” (I still am)
“Boxing” by Ben Folds Five is covered.

I thought to myself: “Who covers BFF? How cool is that?”

Well, younger version of me, the answers are Bette Midler and in either case, not very. It’s a really awful version of “Boxing” here. Sorry—I really, really wanted to like it.

Best song: n/a - I’m not listening back to this one. But kudos for trying.

Kasabian - s/t

I must note the copyright notices all over this thing. It’s on the jewel case, silkscreened on the disc, and probably somewhere in the liner notes too. Well, you got your wish, BMG: I’ll never copy this piece of shit to my hard drive, MiniDisc recorder, or Fisher Price tape deck. And by the way, for someone so concerned with intellectual property, good move in ripping off the font and design of The Faint’s (very good) Danse Macabre. Bastards.

This was a CD that my friend Vinny loves and recommended to me while I was very drunk. I also had a crush on my boss at the time, who listed this band as a favorite on her Facebook profile. Thanks for nothing but a decent first song—“Clubfoot”—which I am doomed to hear at hockey games and on television for the rest of my young adulthood. Thanx.

Best song: Clubfoot

Beastie Boys - Paul’s Boutique

I took a picture of the backside of this album to point something important out. See that barcode there? That’s proof of something special that the younger generation just doesn’t have. That’s right—the rite of passage known as ripping off CD clubs. My fake name—no shit—was John Q Matthews. I had been told that if you were under 18, your signature was worthless and could effectively do this as many times as you wanted. I only took advantage once, but still.

Perhaps it’s poetic justice that the VW symbol was recently ripped off my car—a practice the Beasties popularized. Driving around with Josh listening to “Shadrach” and “Egg Man” all summer—yes, I remember. Oh, and “The Sounds of Science” and “High Plains Drifter.” Probably my favorite BB album, but I probably pull this out once a year and skip around. Peace, I’m outta here.

Best song: High Plains Drifter

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

Considering this is one of the bestselling albums of all time, I shouldn’t have a problem getting another copy if I decide I need to track these things down again during my midlife crisis. But shit, it just reminds me of drinking Robitussin and smoking cigarettes with Justin (also in Jr. High—imagine that!). We were such assholes.

This album (and come to think of it, the entire PF catalog) got played out big time my Jr. and Sr. year of high school, when my circle of friends did certain, uh, extracurricular activities. We were still assholes.

I have it on vinyl, anyway. With the posters! But as a final note: PF was certifiably badass for not including the song titles on the back of the CD. No, really!

Best song: Time

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

This is a classic Jr. High album for me. The title track played on Q106.5 and 97X a lot and will probably always be with me in that way. It also reminds me of Tyler C., an old best friend who moved away after 8th grade and I spent the summer—wait for it—wishing he was here! Oh, God.

Saw Umphrey’s play “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” in its entirety on the first night of the NYE 2003 run, which was unbelievable. But other than that, I’m not sure I’ve even popped this CD in since mid-high school, when I realized that I preferred Meddle anyway.

Best song: Have a Cigar

Band of Horses - Everything All the Time

I probably listened to this about ten times and shelved it. I like it, just not as much as some of The Shins and My Morning Jacket. I’m not saying they all sound the same, but when I’m in that sort of mood, I rarely go to this first. This is a car CD, I think. Ripping it and moving on. Next.

Best song: The Funeral