My Fifteen

Want to take a trip down memory lane with me? It won’t be a shared memory lane or anything– just a trip through some of the classic* albums that defined me and certain periods of my life so far. Jabba posted her fifteen albums recently, and I loved the idea of jogging through my recollections and dusting off 15 of the albums that totally consumed me for whatever reason at the time. (*Just so you know– I use the term ‘classic’ loosely, as you’ll see in a few paragraphs. Very few actual classics here.)

If you want to play along on your own blog or in the comments section, the rules are fairly simple: Just recount 15 of the albums that you couldn’t get enough of, without thinking too hard about them. List them in random order and try to compile your whole list in less than 15 minutes. Go!

1. U2- Achtung Baby

This album totally defined me from Grade 7 to Grade 9. It was the first CD that I considered to be ‘cool’, even though most of my friends flat out rejected U2 at the time in favour of Ace of Base or Salt n Pepa. I used to think that every life moment could be summed up by one U2 song or the other– they had a song for everything. And even though I gave up on U2 shortly after their Elevation tour, listening to ‘One’ and ‘So Cruel’ still gives me the goosebumps.

2. Depeche Mode- Songs of Faith And Devotion

Depeche has totally eclipsed U2 in every way possible for me. Now, every defining moment in my life has an accompanying Depeche song, and they are the go-to band whenever I feel like listening to some great music. I. Love. Depeche Mode. Since Marty introduced me to them seven or so years ago, I have rotated through multiple album favourites, but the one that I keep coming back to is Songs of Faith And Devotion. “Higher Love” is possibly the greatest song ever recorded. Just saying…

3. Radiohead- OK Computer

I listened to this album wide-eyed the first time it hit my stereo. I knew that history was being made and that Thom Yorke was my new hero. Not much has changed since then.

4. Prince- Purple Rain

A total classic! None of my friends ever understood my Prince obsession (and most still don’t), but I love me some Purple Rain action! I have loved this album for as long as I can remember, which I guess is since 1984, the year the movie was released. (<– Only fitting: I was 3 in 1984.)

5. Sade- Lovers Rock

I don’t even know why I bought this album in the first place. Sade is totally not my normal style of music (too smooth, maybe?), but somehow the CD landed in my collection and captivated me for most of my first year in university. I was dating a real flake at the time, and the song “Every Word” pretty much summed up our whole relationship.

6. Neko Case- Blacklisted

I totally can’t sing –BUT– I totally sing out loud to this album whenever it’s on. Consider yourself warned. I discovered this CD through the Calgary Public Library, back when I would breeze into the Louise Riley branch and just pick up whatever looked interesting. Great score. Neko Case is one of my favourite lady singers: strong, stubborn, and a little rebellious, too.

7. Bjork- Selmasongs/Dancer in the Dark soundtrack

Bjork is somebody I thought I would love with a passion forever and ever. My devotion to her music has definitely faded in the last half decade or so, but listening to Dancer in the Dark when it was first released (in the dark, at that!) was spooky and melancholy and powerfully moving. The album cover just added to the haunting.

8. Madonna- You Can Dance

My list would NEVER be complete without something from Madonna. I listened to her all the time growing up, and I had no idea how controversial or hyper-sexual she was. (My sisters and I were actually convinced that Madonna was a “Ma-Cheerio Girl”.) All I knew was that she had some seriously danceable tunes and my six year old body needed to get a serious groove on! You Can Dance lives on!

9. Gogol Bordello- Gypsy Punks

A more recent addition to my musical palate. I went to their concert during grad school before I ever heard one of their songs, and soon I was rocking out to Ukrainian-flavoured folk punk and feeling like my world would never be the same again. Eugene Hutz is a total genius. I love this album and play it whenever I need a little pick-me-up. Or whenever I want to hear Marty nail an Eastern Bloc singing accent.

10. Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Smashing Pumpkins were, perhaps, my favourite band in late junior high and early high school. My sister and I owned all of their albums and listened to them religiously. I used to write in my journal every night while listening to this double album. When I think about that album, I can also smell the (horrid!) friendship candle I used to burn while journal-writing. Ugh. The candle was in the shape of a star and had tiny shards of semi-precious ‘friendship’ stones buried within each layer. Super perfumed, totally nasty smell. But a great album nonetheless.

11. Everything But The Girl- Temperamental

Nothing but dance music. I get lost in that album and wish like nothing else that I had a voice like Tracey Thorn.

12. Saint Etienne- Good Humor

Another classic Calgary Public Library find. We received some (at the time) pretty devastating news one night while the CD was blaring full blast in our dining room. My sister was bawling but was being drowned out by this perky voice singing “over and over and over and over agaaaaaaain!” On the plus side, the bad news ended up working out for the best and the album remains one of my all-time faves.

13. Portishead- Dummy

‘Sour Times’ ushered in a whole new listening sensibility for me. Prior to that fateful day in Grade 8, I mostly listened to country music. For real. But as soon as I heard the dusty trip-hop loops and paper-thin voice of Beth Gibbons on AM radio, I was hooked. It was a very good thing.

14. Beck- Odelay

Beck was another musician I was sure I would never get sick of (but eventually did). Odelay seemed so revolutionary to me when I first heard it, and Beck’s music videos were something else altogether. I loved his use of irony and his over-the-top cheeseball vibe. My sisters and I were in stitches when we first heard him sing “I said lady/step inside my Hyundai” in a fake-serious falsetto. But. I have since gotten over Beck. Alas.

15. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique

Most critics and fans kind of panned Paul’s Boutique, but I love it. It brings me back to my early days of second-hand shopping and looking for cool sneakers. I had really short spiky hair when I first listened to the Beastie Boys. I wore actual old man pants and black t-shirts. I had a chunky silver ring on every single finger (and thumb!). I wanted to be as cool as the Beastie Boys (but most certainly wasn’t). Hey ladies!

—–

I followed the rules and mentioned the first 15 albums that came to mind, but of course a lot of CDs and bands got left out. Honourable mentions go out to:

- The Donnas: Spend The Night

- Esthero: Breath From Another

- Big Shiny Tunes (the original!)

- George Michael: Ladies And Gentlemen, the Best Of…

- Van Morrison: Moondance

- and various mix tapes and CDs my friends made me over the years