Musical Education

***The images on this blog may not show up on your computer.  They were mostly album artwork from the bands I mention.  Sorry.

I've been getting an education in music lately.  I have been looking at KEXP's top 903 album countdown and seeing where there might be some holes in my playlist.  Bands that I've heard of numerous times, but have never listened to a full album of, are finding their way into my music library.  The latest additions are The Clash, Arcade Fire, and The Smiths.  

I'm starting with the top (Radiohead, OK Computer- yeah, I voted for that one) and working my way down.  Luckily, I already possess many of the albums on the playlist, so I won't have to go looking for a full 903 albums.  It has been fun so far.  I'm sure I'll fall in love with a lot of these new albums.  To see the list, just visit kexp.org.  This is my favorite radio station, by the way. I have never heard a radio station bold enough to play unheard of local bands and an unmatched variety of genres.

I love music.  It finds its way into every facet of my life.  When I think back to different periods in my life, they are inextricably linked to whatever band I happened to be into at the time.  7th grade was Soundgarden, Weezer, Nirvana and the radiostation KOME (oh yeah, a lot of Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and classic rock).  

Highschool found me getting into a lot of unknown, alternative Christian bands like Pedro the Lion and Starflyer 59- birthing my love for things non-mainstream (which is ironic considering I'm listening to the top 903 albums voted by the listeners of this radio station, but hey!  this is a non-mainstream station).  I started developing my own musical tastes and being able to say, "Yes.  I like this.  And not just because I feel like I should like this."  Other bands I started getting into were Portishead and Radiohead. 

 

College was all about indie for me.  Of course there were the essentials like Radiohead, but they were peppered with Elliott Smith, Modest Mouse and The Postal Service.  

After college, I started refining my tastes even more, falling in love with Neutral Milk Hotel, Pavement, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

I'm sure that I'll continue discovering more bands and hopefully y'all will be able to introduce me to some of your faves.

I love music.  I don't know all the history, middle names and stuff about bands that "true" fans probably know, but I love the music all the same.

Adios.

Brian

(thanks Joel for letting me borrow all those albums)