Watching T.V. Movies on the Living Room Armchair

#2 No Need to Argue, The Cranberries

It seems that, for many of us, the albums we listened to in our adolescent years continue to rise to the top. This one carried me through that time of loneliness and confusion and inspired me to make music myself. The first songs I learned to play on guitar were "Ode to my Family" and "Zombie." I sang along with Dolores until I was out of breath. To this day, my weak voice is somehow made powerful when I'm singing her melodies.

My favorite songs continue to be "Can't Be With You", "Daffodil Lament" and "Dreaming My Dreams."

#3 - Many In High Places Are Not Well - HiM


Believe it or not, I used to hate jazz...and I didn't even know what Afro-beat was. This band taught me to embrace them both. Doug Scharin uses percussion to penetrate every aspect of this group. Whereas most drummers provide the beat and fill in the empty space, he is the foundation upon which everything else is built. He combines these genres to create a perfect balance in a lively yet sensual sound.

The first tracks I heard on this album were samples (which Papa downloaded) of Slow, Slow, Slow (Slow Dub Low version) and The Way Trees Are. I couldn't get enough of either song and eagerly anticipated this album's release. Papa and I picked it up at CD Alley and then went to Mellow Mushroom for dinner. I vividly remember sitting in the parking lot (I think it was before we ate) listening to these songs. Wow. Although they were slightly different from the downloaded versions that whet my appetite, hearing them in their entirety was incredibly satisfying.

It took me a while to warm up to the album as a whole. I think it was because I heard the best songs first. Then I got to a point where I wore it out. Any time I had control of the CD player, this is what I would pop in. Seeing them live with Mice Parade only added to my adoration. They made a dingy, smoke-filled bar feel like heaven on earth.

I don't know how I can put two more albums above this one. It feels more accurate to say that this is 1/3 of #1.

Welcome the Ugly Animal

#4 - Monster - REM

As a long time REM fan, I must admit, this is a bold choice. It even surprised me. I own all of their albums from Murmur through Reveal and this one is my favorite? Yes, it is. I can finally admit it.

I owned Automatic first, but it was this one that made me a follower. I first heard it at a Young Life retreat. I remember the hotel lobby, the group of guys with "skater" cuts kicking around a hacky sack with this playing in the background. I had a huge crush on one of the guys and I bought this album to remind me of him.

I ended up loving it and went to see the infamous aneurysm tour in Hershey,PA. The show gave me mixed feelings. I was a hyper youth group Christian and Michael Stipe's first words on stage were "I am Satan." The video clips that played behind them were eerie. I specifically remember one of a teenage boy (who looked much like my crush) kissing his own hand over and over again. I thought, "Weird. I shouldn't like this." I turned away from Monster and bought all the other albums. These were much safer. I became a fan but this album fell by the wayside.

Years later, I feel I've come full circle. I still adore REM. I love all of their albums. This one is not the most musically impressive. The lyrics are enigmatic and down-right crass. But damn it if every song doesn't make you sing right along. If I'm going to pull one of their albums off the shelf today, chances are, its going to be this one. It opens with pop perfection in "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" and the intensity builds from there. The beautifully odd "Strange Currencies" and "Let Me In" provide points of respite in the midst of all the raunchy distortion. If Automatic for the People is their gem, Monster is their rock.

It still gives me a slightly uneasy feeling, like Michael Stipe is some dirty old man telling me all of his secrets. But I now know his past (and his future), so, when I listen, I understand that this is just a stage he is going through. This stage produced some amazing rock and now that I'm a grown-up, I can take it.

I love Java

#5 Degung - Bulan Dagoan - Gendtra Pasundan Degung Group

About four years ago, I decided to become more familiar with world music. I was teaching preschool music at the time and was supposed to do a "music around the world" summer program. Although I checked out several books of multicultural kids songs, I wanted samples for the children to hear. This is when I discovered the Putumayo label.

Out of necessity, I began with World Playground. Over the next few years, I picked up a few Putumayo CD's for grownups as well. One of them was Music from the Tea Lands. The last track on this CD, Kang Mandor, was unlike anything I'd ever heard. The artist, Ujang Suryana, is a blind bamboo flute player from Indonesia. He is accompanied by a traditional gamelan group. This song helped me relax during pregnancy. I put it on repeat to fall asleep by almost every night.

Papa, of course, noticed my infatuation with the song. He, being a music sleuth, found this Degung Group album featuring Suryana and gifted it to me. Now, instead of one song, I have an entire album to put on repeat. It is only fitting that it was playing in the hospital room at the exact moment Efrim was born.

Sitting in an armchair, my head between my hands.

#6 Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? - The Cranberries

I was a sophomore in high school. I was young, only 15, so I wasn't driving yet. My best friend, Sarah, was and she took me everywhere. The first time I heard this was in her car. She insisted on taking me to get my hair cut so I would "look older." Somehow I ended up with the perfect Angela Chase. This album became the soundtrack of my so called life.

Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine

#7 Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel

In addition to the title track, this one gave us El Condor Pasa (If I Could), The Boxer and the epic The Only Living Boy in New York. Every album they did was a masterpiece. This one is my favorite.

Global Warming

#8 Tempo de Amor - Smokey and Miho

I feel conflicted about posting this on an icy cold day. This record is the antithesis. It is dripping with warmth. My skin becomes golden by just listening to it.

Coincidentally, Papa and I discovered this band during a visit to Pa Senior in California. After reading an article about them in one of the local weekly papers, we were intrigued. Unfortunately, we read it a day too late and missed them playing at a local bar. We picked up this EP at Lou's and found sunny So. Cal. to be the perfect setting.

All of the songs are covers of Brazilian composer, Baden Powell, sung in Portuguese. It can be classified as "world jazz" but the beats are more reminiscent of latin dance. When listening, it is hard to resist the temptation to shake your hips. Miho Hatori's vocals slide up and down the scale in every song. The melodies are completely unpredictable, yet she sounds as if she could sing it in her sleep. She and Smokey Hormel make a perfect pair. Independent of her, he has composed music for two David Lynch films, The Cowboy and the Frenchman and The Straight Story. (All that I've heard of him seems the opposite of anything from Angelo Badalementi.)

As the predicted wintry mix has dwindled, and it begins to rain, I realize this is the perfect day to post this record. If we can't get any snow, I might as well be sitting on the beach sipping a salty margarita.

The Coolness of the Evening Light

#9 Suburban Light - The Clientele

The cover art for this album personifies The Clientele's sound perfectly - hazy, intriguing, minimalistic. Having seen this band twice, it is how I picture them as well. Three average guys with no flair about them, emanating a mysteriously enticing vibe. The most impressive thing about this band is that they are a trio. Having attempted to create a full sound with three people, I know how challenging it can be. (We called in a super hero to help us.) These guys pull it off with ease. The guitars are hauntingly seductive. The drums are simple, sometimes jazzy and always perfect. Alasdair's voice floats above it all as he poetically muses over things that most of us would pass by without noticing.

While I also enjoy, The Violet Hour and Strange Geometry, this album is by far my favorite. I think it is due to the fact that the songs were originally released as individual 7 inch singles. Each song flows into the next, yet still stands out in some respect. Their other albums are much more cohesive and I tend to skip to my favorite tracks. Its hard to pick a favorite on this one, but one track of note is (I Want You) More Than Ever. The cover of this single is also quite lovely as displayed on a shelf in our living room.

#10 and 24

#10 - Melody A.M, Royksopp

I have a moment, but only one since Jack Bauer is about to kick some ass. Thus, I'll keep it short and sweet.

Featuring the vocals of Erlend Oye and some groovy beats, this record mixes laid back lounge with upbeat dance. My favorite tracks feature my main man, of course, (Erlend, not Jack) - "Poor Leno" and "Remind Me." "So Easy" is also a great opener.

Everything's different now...everything, even the sun.

#12 - Glow, The Innocence Mission

This was the first Innocence Mission CD that I owned and it is still my favorite. Although Don and Karen Peris still make beautiful music without the drums, I am attached to the songs which include them. There is never any complex rhythm, they just keep the beat and add a bit of wakefulness to their sleepy style. (I also love the sleepy style) This is even personified in the lyrics of the first song, Keeping Awake - "Oh, I'm near to sleeping but I'm keeping awake." (This line is followed by Cougar's favorite imitation of them, "Hearing your voice in the house...") I also enjoy the way the tempo affects Don's slide guitar. It is always dreamy, but in these songs, it is lively somehow. This is quite unique for slide which is usually lazy.

For the few short months in which Sandra Lou performed, we had several people make comparisons between us and The Innocence Mission. I think they were referring to the sound of this album. To me, this was one of the greatest compliments anyone could have given us.



#11 - Wilderness, Archer Prewitt

This one came out of nowhere. I had heard of, but never listened to The Sea and Cake. Then I heard a few selections from this album online and I was hooked. We purchased this while I was pregnant and I feel like it was the soundtrack of our lives for those 9 months. The opening track, "Way of the Sun", is one of my favorites. No one else could pull off an "Ave Maria" in a pop song. The lyrics include honest, thoughtful critiques of humanity , "No one seeks a victim like a man...taking all that's precious from the land.", mixed with love songs that are too cool to be love songs, "I liked the way she was shy. Walking around with the sun in her eyes." Although it is mostly acoustic, he adds enough flair to keep me interested. The drums come in at just the right time, the organ plays a few chords to fill the empty space, the slide guitar is haunting...simple, yet beautiful. I'm not sure if its nostalgia (remembering my former life) or pure appreciation of it, but I am in love with this album.

Boys in bikinis, girls on surfboards

#14 - The B-52's, The B-52's

This exercise is beginning to make me wonder if I'm bi-polar. I made my list in about an hour, all on the same day, so that would have been a lot of manic-depressive states in a short period of time. Let's hope I'm wrong.

I acquired this one in high school. After hearing the song, "Rock Lobster", while visiting my aunt and uncle in NY, I had to have it. Because it is their debut, it is very raw. When I hear it, I imagine them playing dive bars in Athens. This album is ridiculous in the way you expect the B-52's to be, but it is also musically genius. The way they use their voices as instruments, creating all sorts of transitions in each song makes the whole album a real production. Its like an opera or a Broadway show except that it a) is good and b) doesn't take itself too seriously. When I play this record, I am always amazed at how well it has aged. Although it was recorded 27 years ago, it continues to be a breath of fresh air. I've never heard anything else like it.




#13 - Sean Nos Nua, Sinead O'Connor

Papa surprised me with this a few Christmases ago. I didn't know anything about it, but he knows I love Sinead, since I have several of her albums. Although she has made many attempts to cover various genres, this is the best. It is an entire album of Irish folk songs which, of course, comes naturally to her. (Unlike reggae. I love Faith and Courage but I can't help thinking that she's trying too hard.) I, being a Kennedy, feel connected to this music in spite of being several generations removed from it. I adore Irish female vocals and have always unconsciously mimicked that style in my singing. This record is all about Sinead's voice and the stories it tells.

American Ladies and Norwegian Gents

#16 - Riot On An Empty Street, Kings of Convenience

I waited forever for this album. Every time I was in a record store I checked the "K" section hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I hadn't heard anything about them recording another one but I was desperate for it. They couldn't just be a one album band. That wasn't enough. (This was technically their third, but the first one contains many of the same songs as "Quiet Is The New Loud.") Then I heard it was coming out and waited for months. I was so afraid that they would have changed and I wouldn't like it. As soon as I heard the first notes of "Homesick", I knew everything was going to be okay.

This one is more diverse than the first, containing a few upbeat numbers like, "Love is No Big Truth" and "I'd Rather Dance With You." Each song tells a story and the stories tell something different with each new listen. The voices of Erlend Oye and Eirik Glambek Boe blend together to create a warm blanket of sound. It was definitely worth the wait.






#15 - Holiday in Rhode Island, The Softies

Captain Ultra introduced us to this one day as we were perusing Radiofree. I had never heard of The Softies before and upon the first listen, I felt their name perfectly personified their sound. The voices of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia complement each other beautifully. There is nothing too fancy about them, just sweet, sensitive, hushed harmony. The guitar provides another layer, but remains subdued, allowing everything to continue in a lovely whisper. It evokes a sense of peace and each listen is a holiday in itself.

New beginning again...a little bit closer

#18 Wednesday Morning, 3 AM, Simon & Garfunkel

When I was in Junior High, my mom and I were shopping in Woolworth. We came upon an endcap of $2.99 cassette tapes. Mom picked one up and popped it in the tape deck for the ride home. Thus, I was introduced to Simon & Garfunkel. This tape was only their greatest hits however. It wasn't until years later that I would actually listen to any of their full albums.

This, their first record (as "Simon & Garfunkel"), is completely different than my initial introduction. It contains some of the poetic folk you expect, but it also features a few gospel tunes. It emphasizes the importance of their vocal training and gives a taste of the lyrical masterpieces to come. The tracks are rather diverse for this pair. From "Bleeker Street" to "Benedictus" to "The Sounds of Silence", each song highlights a beloved aspect of the duo .






#17 Gran Turismo, The Cardigans

The lyrics printed on the cover capture the feeling of the record; "Come take us out of here/take us anywhere...oh yeah." Strangely enough, the place it takes me is also depicted on the cover. The first track, Paralyzed, is a lift off followed by several tracks of ascent until I find myself suddenly floating above the clouds. The music gradually descends until I am standing on the ground again at the end of the last track, Nil.

Unlike the adult contemporary pop of the most recent Cardigans and company offerings, this album is mysteriously enticing, seductive rock. What is it you boys used to say? Dirty, raunchy, sexy? This is it. To go from this album to such obvious and predictable pap makes me gag. Sorry. They're dead to me now...which makes this work of art even more valuable.

#20 - Ta Det Lungt, Dungen

What he said... and what Efrim said when he saw the cover, "Dungen. Loud rock roll."




#19 I do not want what I haven't got, Sinead O'Connor (1990)

Sinead has always presented a perfect dichotomy - angst ridden lyrics encased in beautiful melody. This album paved the way for many a bitch rocker but, in my opinion, none of them came across as sincere in their efforts as she did. Although she was pushing her feminist, anti-establishment ideas, she also made sweet references to her son, pined after lost love and mourned the losses of those who suffered injustice.

Despite any controversial public appearances she has made, her music maintains a delicate balance of beauty and grace in the midst of anger and frustration. I, as a teenager, found that this album expressed perfectly all that I was feeling without leading me down a self deprecating road.

Can I get an "amen" Daniel?

Favorite tracks: Three Babies, Emperor's New Clothes

I lost myself in a familiar song, closed my eyes and I slipped away.

#23 Boston, s/t

Okay, here it is Mr. Cougar. Don't spoil anymore now.

While everyone else in middle school was listening to Nirvana, Blind Melon and Pearl Jam, I was listening to our local classic rock station. I also had a perm, some huge bangs and tight rolled jeans. This album is the one thing I'm proud to retain from that time in my life.

Interesting fact I just discovered - this was the best selling debut album of all time.

Favorite tracks:
More Than A Feeling (anyone whos been in the same room with me and a jukebox knows its going to play atleast once)
Hitch A Ride




#22 REM, Automatic For The People

Michael Stipe's vocals, jangly guitars, Bill Berry's percussion (this is a key element of the band for me), tender subject matter, extra orchestration... This is their gem.






#21 - The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour

I, like most people, woke up one day and realized I knew the words to every single Beatle's song. (with the exception of the unreleased stuff of course) The thing that confused me was that I didn't own a single Beatle's album. Neither did either of my parents. Michael Jackson must have known what he was doing. So, when I got one of those BMG 20 albums for $1 things in the mail, I thought maybe I should actually get an album or two. This was the first and is still my favorite.

Favorite track:
I Am the Walrus (I remember walking around the halls of my high school with the phrase, "Yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dog's eye" repeating over and over in my head. This must be the most addicting tune because Efrim has already begun singing "Walrus, goo goo goo joob.")

Fire Safety

Okay, I give up. It's time for me to speak for myself here. You'll see from the first two that my choices will be quite varied. Sorry Sarah, no Indigo Girls. They are currently hiding in my closet. I do pull them out occasionally to remind me of the good ol' days.


#25 Manitoba, Up in Flames

This is probably the first of Papa's noisy albums to win me over. It was a slow process which involved me seriously expanding my musical horizons. A few of the things that convinced me were their use of frog croaks, melodica, and hand clapping. Seeing them live at Cat's Cradle is what sealed it. They all wore animal masks throughout the entire show. Their energy was insane as they jumped around from one instrument to the next mid song. The climax was when both drummers were dueling it out on "I've Lived On A Dirt Road All My Life." I still consider it to be the best show I've ever seen.

Favorite tracks: Jacknuggeted, Crayon



#24 Denison Witmer, Safe Away

Before Papa and I were married, I put this on to sleep by anytime I was feeling lonely or afraid. It did indeed make me feel safe away. We saw him in a little record store in Greensboro and then later at Go! Studios. He's pure, innocent, honest and a fellow Pennsylvanian. Oh, and this record features Don Peris playing his dreamy slide guitar. What's not to love?

Favorite tracks: Over My Head, What Will Stay?
Best listened to when: trying to ignore the boogie-man