Friday, August 07, 2009

Fantastic, unbearable, great

That's the life cycle of my experience listening to several of my favorite musicians. I'll find some music that I JUST LOVE SO MUCH that I can't stop listening to it. Entire album at least four times a week. Compulsive need.
Examples:
Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen
Decemberists - Picaresque
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

There have been MANY others. But what happens is that I listen to them to the point of burn out. Then I can't listen any more. It's like I've used them up. I overdid it. I didn't take a sip of their wine or a glass or even a bottle, I was hospitalized with musical alcohol poisoning.

But then, THEN, sometimes months later or years later, I can re-discover the music and it's like an old friend. The love is deeper, fleshed out by memory.

You have any music like that? Or am I crazy?

6 comments:

scarequotes said...

I did that to the entire Beatles catalog in high school. I wasn't really into music; then discovered the Fab Four and was OBSESSED.

Now if I put on a Beatles album, I tend to tune the whole thing out and not notice until it's over. Which is a shame, because they're still great, but ... they just slide through my brain.

That said, about 5-6 years ago I did go through an active relistening period, listening to them actively again for a few weeks.

And "Hey Jude" and "Yellow Submarine" have been bedtime songs in our house for coming up on 4 years now.

margmor said...

I revisit the Sundays just about every year- the coming on of Summer makes me crave Static and Silence, and Fall means Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. I listen to them until I just CAN'T anymore!

nancymcjensen said...

Not crazy I do this _all_ the time. It used to break the replay button on my old cassettes (that's a technology that briefly reigned after vinyl but before CDs for you youngsters)

Here's 3:
Like you, Ben Folds Forever and Ever Amen while driving, singing top volume, to Elizabeth's alarmed protests. "Too much Mama! Too loud!"

Annie Lennox's Diva. I feel like an ad for household products, it makes me dance around while I clean the house.

Supertramp's Breakfast in America. The most religious of these experiences. I sit stock still for the entire album. It makes me feel young and happy and incredibly old at the same time.

Ooh and a bonus one - Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814. I had no idea what new jack swing was at the time, I just loved loved loved this album.

Erik said...

I do this with Van Morrison's Moondance.

Jennifer said...

Absolutely...I am on my way to wearing out Blue October's Foiled right now. It will happen and I'll be sad for a while. I am currently off Ryan Adams, Sufjan Stevens, and a few others. They will also (hopefully) rebound in a few months.

mombalabamba said...

The first Third Eye Blind album (I know, I know) and Ryan Adams. Bob Dylan's Planet Waves. The Band. Tom Waits' Closing Time. I just got an IPod for my b-day so I'm rediscovering all of the above. My family hasn't seen me without earphones for about a week.