Aaron's Music Page

how does one define one's self musically? i'm not sure where to begin, other than to let my preferences speak for themselves. i have over 1000 cds, and they're an amalgam of rock, alternative, jazz, blues, and even a smattering of classical. i’ve created a yahoo radio station that’s a decent reflection of my tastes.

Desert Island Discs: The 10 indispensible albums a person would want with him/her if stranded on a desert island.

My list as of January 10, 2004 (in no particular order):

1) Old 97s -- Too Far to Care
2) Radiohead -- The Bends
3) David Wilcox -- How Did You Find Me Here?
4) Ani DiFranco -- Not a Pretty Girl
5) The Clash -- London Calling
6) Marcus Roberts -- Alone with Three Giants
7) Allman Brothers -- Eat a Peach
8) Magnetic Fields -- 69 Love Songs (all 3 discs if possible, otherwise Disc 1)
9) Carole King -- Tapestry
10) Bob Mould -- Workbook

Click Here for the Albums of My Life (FINAL VERSION)

Devils Island Discs (my creation): The 10 artists whose discs would punish me more than would any prison sentence.

My List:

1. Greenday
2. Live
3. Journey
4. Presidents of the United States of America
5. Kenny G
6. Hanson
7. Spice Girls
8. Christina Aguilera
9. Prodigy
10. Britney Spears

My Favorite Albums of 2003 (in alphabetical order, not ranked)

Dar Williams -- The Beauty of the Rain
Grandpaboy -- Dead Man Shake
The Jayhawks -- Rainy Day Music
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros -- Streetcore
Kathleen Edwards -- Failer
My Morning Jacket -- It Still Moves
The New Pornographers -- Electric Version
Paul Westerberg -- Come Feel Me Tremble
Radiohead -- Hail to the Thief

The Shins -- Chutes Too Narrow
The White Stripes -- Elephant

Favorite Albums of Past Years

Bands That I Have Seen & Will Admit to Seeing
(as best as I can remember, as close to chronological order as I can remember)

Latest Review, Wilco, October 14 at the 9:30 Club

Wilco is perhaps the best American band out there right now. I’d remove the “perhaps” if they hadn’t recently removed Jay Bennett from the lineup. And while it remains to be seen how this will affect future albums, his absence had no effect on the great sounds emanating from the stage. It may have affected how Jeff Tweedy felt onstage – he was relaxed and comfortable, characteristics with which he is not normally associated.

How does one convey the feeling of attending that show? I was swaying to the music, enraptured by song after song after song. There I was, mouthing along, the fact that I didn’t know all the lyrics to many of the songs serving as no barrier. The music was rarely better than what was on the albums, but still there was a certain magic seeing Tweedy et al. performing the songs. I want to be able to point to a favorite part of the evening, but there was no single defining moment -- it was all great.

Most of the set focused on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. It was left to the encores to touch on the band’s earlier offerings – the first ended with a pair of songs from the Mermaid Avenue sessions, and the second finishing with two from Being There followed by the set’s only offering from A.M.

We went away wanting more, but left contented, which is just what you ask for from a concert.

Spiders
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Sunken Treasure
War on War
Kamera
Shot in the Arm
Ashes Of American Flags
Someone Else's Song
Heavy Metal Drummer
Jesus, etc.
I’m the Man Who Loves You
Red Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At the End of the Century)
I'm Always In Love
Misunderstood
--------------------------
Reservations
Not For the Seasons
Hesitating Beauty
California Stars
--------------------------
Less Than You Think
Monday
Outta Mind Outta Sight
Casino Queen

More Concert Reviews from 2002
Concert Reviews from 2001

Last Updated March 12, 2004

Return to Aaron's Front Page