Listening Update

Last week, I asked for music listening ideas and was bombarded with wonderful suggestions! Thanks to all who contributed!

I have listed to some Avett Brothers, Spoon and Vampire Weekend this week. However, I am faced with a couple of issues. Maybe my brain is too simple or I’m too crazed, but WHEN do I listen to the music?? When I’m working, I can only listen to certain kinds of music. Too loud, too crazy or too unfamiliar and I get distracted by it. I hate to admit it, but at one point I as even listening to the Spa station on XM when I was working because anything less calming than that made me unable to focus.

I tried to analyze my listening this week. When I’m working in the morning, I can’t listen to much. This American Life (another thing I’m behind on) is not good. The Village on XM is okay. I tried The Current (thanks Bill), but the talking didn’t work for me. So I know that I need “simpler” music for work hours. Once my work hours are over, I’m either at home or in the car. In the car, we either are trying to catch up on kindie CDs (I can’t let go of that guilt) or listening to Kids Place Live (Kenny and Robbie are so fun, and we do miss Mindy so much). At home, it is Harry Potter all the time. I had promised Camille that I would let her knit and listen to Harry Potter for her “summer camp”, and I’m sticking to it. But then, when do I get to listen to other music?

I’ve always had an aversion to headphones for both me and the girls. I don’t like the idea of us all being in separate worlds. I hate missing out on everything that’s going on around me, too. I rarely wear headphones. (I did wear them on the 9 hour flight home from Turkey, since I filled the time with 5 or 6 movies I hadn’t seen.)

I think that perhaps I will dedicate my treadmill time to “music for me” time. And Camille will be done with Harry Potter sooner or later — we’re halfway through book 5 right now.

Keep the ideas coming, please. I’m keeping a list and slowly but surely making my way through it. THANKS!

This week I purchased:
Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Bonus Track Version)
Vampire Weekend – Contra (Bonus Track Version)

Both bands are playing on Friday at Austin City Limits, so I am looking forward to hearing them live. I’m definitely giving precedence in listening to ACL bands; since I might actually get to see them live in a couple months. LEAF bands (including the Indigo Girls) will soon also be getting that treatment.

This week, and I know you’ll think I’m lame, I’m going to go Asleep at the Wheel. I read on the Austin 360 Twitter that their album has been selling like crazy at Waterloo, so I must not be the only one who likes them. I might give The Black Keys another try as well.