One of the drawbacks of being a writer is that there is never enough time to write everything I want to write. I’ve been away from this blog for a long time, working on other projects that had deadlines and doing that whole “earn my keep by working” thing.

 

I’ve been wanting to return here, though, and I found a bit of inspiration. So here I am again.

 

A friend on facebook posted one of those “answer this and tag friends to answer” things. I don’t often do those; mainly because some of them include very personal information that I don’t feel like broadcasting to all and sundry. But this one caught my attention.

 

“List 12 albums – no more than one per artist/group – that left a lasting impression on you.”

 

Now that’s a pretty wide field. Do I pick according to how memorable I feel the music is? According to the personal significance of the time period or person who introduced me to the music? What exactly constitutes a “lasting impression”? Do I still have to remember most of the words?

 

Of course the post said “don’t take too long and don’t think too hard” – but that’s a tall order for someone who a) takes music pretty seriously and b) rambles on at the drop of a hat when asked about her favorite things. Indeed, I find I can’t go a day without music. And my taste is fairly wide ranging. An example, you say? Okay, the playlist going now just went from Paul McCartney to Nine Inch Nails to Sarah McLachlan. Running through the list of my Pandora stations would probably make most people scratch their heads.

 

At any rate, before I digress into a lengthy discussion of the bizarre cornucopia that is my music library, let’s get back to the question at hand.

 

I made a short list in speedy order, but that short list was about twenty. So in cutting them down, I tried to focus on the significance of the music (do I still listen?) combined with the personal significance surrounding the album (who shared it or when did I hear it?).

 

Oh, they’re in alphabetical order, not order of importance, because – well, I’m a book nerd and like things organized.

 

A Chorus Line – Original Cast Recording

My parents liked musicals, and at a young age I was already in love with movie musicals like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. A Chorus Line was the first musical I remember seeing in a theatre; I must have been nine or ten. We had the album at home, and after seeing the show, I memorized all the lyrics and used to make up dance numbers, just like the song says. (In the basement, though, not really the living room.)

 

Depeche Mode – Violator

This was during my undergrad years. I’m not sure if they’re considered alternative rock or progressive rock. But it was a new kind of music for me. I suppose I felt like I was getting to explore new avenues as part of becoming an “adult.” But it represents a branch in my musical tree: learning to give anything a try. I fell in love with a couple of the songs. I love “Halo.” “Personal Jesus” is a fantastic dance song. And I still think “Blue Dress” is an incredibly sexy song. (Not just because I look good in blue, but that doesn’t hurt.)

 

Neil Diamond – 12 Greatest Hits

Neil Diamond is one of my mother’s favorite musicians; we had at least a dozen of his albums. I think I love this one partly because she loves it, and learning all the songs let me sing along with her on road trips. But there are also some classic songs on here. Who can’t rock out to “Sweet Caroline” or “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show”?

 

Dropkick Murphys – Sing Loud, Sing Proud!

My friend Rafe suggested a comic for me to read, Baker Street. (It’s great, but I shall endeavor to stay focused on the topic at hand.) The story is very steeped in punk subculture, a music genre I know little about. The easiest way to start was to set up a Pandora station for punk music and dabble. To my surprise, I found that I really like Celtic punk. And this came at a time when I was going through some personal upheaval, and I was actually in a space by myself again. Subtext: I could listen to whatever I wanted, as loudly as I wanted, and no one was around to complain. Maybe that’s part of why I could get into it.

 

In the interest of getting my dogs fed and having my herbed focaccia while still warm, I will leave the rest for another post.