2005 Soundtrack

Iron and Wine - Waitin' for a Superman
Flaming Lips - Waitin' for a Superman

I bought the Morning Becomes Eclectic compliation for a lot of reasons. It had Damien Rice, Franz Ferdinand, Radiohead, Jem - and it was on sale, and I'm cheap. The Iron and Wine track caught my attention one day, and some time later I learned it was a Flaming Lips cover, and some time after that Shawn implored me to buy the Lips' album that originally featured "Waitin' for a Superman". I love how that works. Pay attention to what you're hearing, do a little reading, and the music you didn't know you liked will reveal itself. When I hear these songs, I'm at work, headphones on, typing.

The Arcade Fire - Wake Up

I'm normally about a year behind when it comes to new music, but at least I bought this album before U2 started playing "Wake Up" at the beginning of their concerts, and before I started hearing it at Henry's. When I hear this album, I'm renting cheap DVDs from the supermarket; I'm driving to the airport.

Stars - Your Ex-Lover is Dead

Gavin is driving us home from a softball doubleheader. We're headed north on Wakarusa; the light is red. "I'll write you a postcard, I'll send you the news," Gavin sings half-heartedly.

Elliott Smith - Coast to Coast

"I should grab an Elliott Smith CD to listen to in case she breaks up with me," I think. "From a Basement on a Hill is already in the car," I remember. Always prepared, I drive away from her apartment listening to track #1.

Josh Rouse - My Love has Gone
Rhett Miller - Come Around

I had considered buying the Rouse album one day at the record store, but thought, "I shouldn't buy any more sad bastard music." Corinne made me a CD for my 26th birthday, and these two songs were stuck in the middle. I asked her if she had them side-by-side because Rouse sings, "when you come around..." and Miller sings, "unless you come around." She denied the intentional placement. I'm working, working, working - the birthday CD was kept in my cubicle for months.

Death Cab for Cutie - Summer Skin

There are catchier songs on the album, and there are more plaintive songs on the album, but this is the one keeps me coming back. The lyric "on the night you left I came over" blew my mind several times over.

The Shins - One By One All Day

I am in Albuquerque, home of The Shins, for a conference. I'm at their Liberty Hall concert, listening to them rock an extended outro.

Nirvana - Aneurysm (demo)

I got the box set for Christmas, gave each of the CDs and the DVD a listen, and ignored it until the fall. Then, I realized that the unpolished version of this song is superior to the final version heard on Incesticide. I'm pretty sure if you turn this up loud enough, you'll see God. I'm driving to Manhattan to give a presentation.

Snow Patrol - Wow

I heard "Run". I liked it. I heard "How to Be Dead". I liked it, too. I heard "Spitting Games". I liked it. Still, I was worried the album would be fit for a sissy. I bought it anyway, and "Wow" proved my suspicions were unfounded. I'm at work, in front of my computer.

Spoon - I Turn My Camera On

This was the year I stopped using file-sharing networks and started reaping mp3 blogs. Stereogum.com gave me Spoon, and I am grateful. I am at work. Still.

The White Stripes - Denial Twist

Sometimes, you have to fight through a CD to find the great moments. You listen casually, you listen carefully, you listen to it LOUD on decent speakers. Most important, you activate shuffle mode and see what strikes you. "Denial Twist" is special when it's removed from the center of Get Behind Me Satan. It's also my favorite song with the word "rumpus" in the lyrics. I'm at work, and the Classic brand personal CD player I bought 5 years ago for $10 at a Twin Cities area Circuit City is on shuffle.

Coldplay - Low

I'm in the car, "White Shadows" has finished playing, and I'm still looking to rock. I'm at home, sick, realizing that I don't feel well enough to attend the Coldplay concert.

Beck - E-Pro

There's a scene in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind when Joel realizes he doesn't want to lose all of his memories of Clementine. As he relives one experience with Clementine - I think they're in bed, joking - he begs to save this single memory from deletion.

It's April 16, 2005. I've left the bars early to meet Ali at her place. I'm emptying my pockets, placing my phone, wallet, and keys on the glass dining table. She tells me that Beck just performed on Saturday Night Live. I ask what song he played. She doesn't know the song's title, so she sings the chorus instead.

Joel has his moment, and I have mine: Ali, near the door, half-shrugging, half-dancing, half-singing, "Na-na naa na naa na naaaah!"

We go to bed. She twitches, then falls asleep. I watch terrible comedy featuring Tom Brady, then power off the television and close my eyes.

The Fiery Furnaces - Sweet Spots

I'm in Chicago, the home of The Fiery Furnaces, for a conference.

The Golden Republic - You Almost Had It

I'm playing darts.

The Decemberists - Engine Driver

It's May 26, 2005. I just woke up from a dream, in which I was listening to this song. In said dream, I explained to someone that I used to think The Decemberists suck, but the song had grown on me. It has, in fact, grown on me, despite the fact that I had committed only 2 of the song's lines to memory prior to May 26 - those lines just looped in my dream, but I somehow still enjoyed the tune.