Music for the Downtrodden Soul

There are four bands whose albums I will purchase on the day of release, no questions asked. With most bands, I prefer to hear a few songs off their albums before I'll committ to purchasing them. In fact, I often prefer to hear an album in its entirety before I decide to buy it. On a few occasions, I have purchased an album based on one or two songs that I liked on the radio. In most of those cases, I have ended up being extremely pissed off about my purchase. One such incident that comes to mind is my poorly thought out purchase of Third Eye Blind's debut album. No offense intended to anybody who likes that album but...I'm sorry. I hate that CD with every fiber of my being. I purchased it based on one song...I can't even remember which one. Probably either Jumper or How's It Going to Be...but I honestly couldn't tell you. At any rate, I hated it almost from the first listen. I mean, I guess the album would be ok if you like listening to the same song fifteen times...because they pretty much all sound alike. I kept that album for a few months...then one day, in what can only be described as a fit of rage, I hurled it from my car while driving on the 15 south through Escondido. It felt good to be rid of it, minor legal infraction notwithstanding. It was that experience that made me swear never to purchase an album after hearing only one song.

But, as I said, there are four bands whose albums I will purchase without ever having heard a single note. Those of you who know me well can probably already name those bands. For those of you who don't know me too well...the bands are R.E.M, Radiohead, The Innocence Mission, and Eels. Occasionally, some of these bands' albums do not live up to my expectations, such as R.E.M's Monster or Eels' Souljacker. However, I always purchase their subsequent recordings without hesitation. Two bad albums in a row might give me pause.

Today, the newest Eels album, Shootenanny, was released, and I drove over to purchase it in Pasadena. I was going to head to Best Buy, but traffic was pretty backed up on the 210, so I just exited at Lake Avenue and went to Borders. I didn't see it on the racks, so I asked the odd little fellow working in the music section if it had come in today. He said yes, and handed me one from a cart of "CD's-To-Be-Put-Out-For-Sale." Not surprisingly, while there, I was overcome with an urge to impulsively purchase another CD. I knew it would happen...I knew I couldn't limit myself to just one.

So, I purchased The Minus Five's latest effort, Down With Wilco.

"Now, hold on a moment," you might say. "Have you ever heard that album, Matt?"

The answer is no, but I was fairly confident that I would like it. One of the members of The Minus Five is Peter Buck, from R.E.M. Additionally, all the members of Wilco were involved with this album as well...hence the title. Over the last few months, I've really been digging the Wilco. I currently own Summerteeth and Being There...and they're both really good. Shane tells me Yankee Hotel Foxtrot also kicks ass...I just haven't gotten around to purchasing it yet. I thought about getting it today, but decided to take a chance on The Minus Five. (Incidentally, I have front row tickets to see R.E.M., with special guests, Wilco, at the Hollywood Bowl on September 10 of this year. Now I just need to find a really hot girl who likes R.E.M and Wilco.)

At any rate, my confidence that I would like this album was well-placed. I listened to it twice today, and have only listened to half of Shootenanny. Don't get me wrong, what I've heard of Shootenanny, I really like. However, Down With Wilco is just REALLY good. I'm actually listening to it for a third time now. I'm guessing that this album will soon make it onto my proverbial desert island list. This list assumes, of course, that I will have enough batteries to last ten years or so.

Next Tuesday, I'll have to go back to purchase another album, as Radiohead's Hail To The Thief is being released. I've also got to decide what impulse purchase I'll make. I'm open for suggestions.