need some records for the road..
getting ready to take a HUGE road trip over here.. i will be taking my ipod for the trip, and i need to properly load it before i motor.. the trick is, since i will be riding a motrobike, i cant’ mess with it very much.. i have to pretty much set it and go.. and since i am riding about 3000 miles, i can’t really pick and choose songs to make a songlist.. so i will be picking albums..
i WISH i had sirius sattelite radio for my motorbike..
i have a few thousand cd’s up in the attic, but i have not really brought them down and ripped them..
i am TOTALLY open to suggestions from the peanut gallery.. i would love it!
here’s what i have lined up so far.. let me know what else i should add or discover, not in any particular order yet:
alison kraus and union sation - lonely runs both ways (this is one of the best albums i have heard come out in some time…)
apostle of hustle - folkloric feel (i met these cats at when i was photographing the last luna tour as it came through cleveland.. )
garden state soundtrack - this is a second favorite soundtrack.. right after ‘pretty in pink’.. okay movie.. pretty good, actually.. but the soundtrack rocks..
bodeans - black and white (OMG a perrenial favorite traveling record..)
britta phillips and dean wareham - sonic souvenirs - half of luna.. i hope they still keep producing records.. i loved galaxie 500 and luna..
maria callas - live in milan and athens - maria callas is a magic girl..
counting crows - august and everything after.. this is an album that refuses to leave my life.. not that i want it to.. but it is always just.. there..
coutning crows - this desert life - hell, i will be riding through the desert..
the dears - no cities left - when you want to hear some thing that reminds you of the smiths, but you haven’t heard it a million times.. check with the dears..
donovan - troubadour.. i have rediscovered donovan again.. on both vinyl and digital.. he is a genius..
the eagles - greatest hits.. what road trip through america would not be better with the eagles?
the icicles - a hundred patterns .. i found these guys by chance one day on one of the first internet radio stations there was.. i fell in love.. if you like pop, check these girls out..
jason levasseur - watching the girls go by… i was on a hired mission to photograph this kid awhile back. he gave me his cd.. and it was REALLY good.. good sensible songwriting.
the jayhawks - rainy day music. this album is a masterpiece on LOTS of levels.. save it for a rainy day is one of my favorite songs ever.. even though it sounds just like ‘hard luck woman..’
kiddo - okay sweetheart.. one of my favorite local cleveland bands in the day was tender blindspot.. i fell in love with kiddo before i ever realized that liz was a singer in the band.. another awesome pop band off the same label as the icicles.. i had a demo cd from the label, but the dam thing got lost before i even got to hear it! oh the agony!
madder rose - tragicmagic - hung up in you is one of my favorite songs ever..
michael franks - the art of tea.. yeah. sure.. it’s old school.. but this album is so good, it needs to be discovered by a new generation..
racermason - with everything.. yes, another local band with national skills..
rilo kiley - more adventurous - i think this is another record that will stick in my playlist for a few years to come..
sun kill moon - ghosts of the great highway. this album is the perfect traveling companing. if you liked red house painters, just get this..
u2 - the joshua tree .. this is another ultimate road album for traveling through the southwest..
the weepies - say i am you .. this is a new discovery.. bajillian turned me on to this album.. instant classic for this kid..
los lonely boys- sacred.. it’s always so awesome to see other raza on tv who are not stealing shit.. i loved these guys.. their new album rocks..
yo la tengo - fakebook.. i bought this record because i loved electro pura.. i HATED it.. i almost threw it away.. then, years later, i found it, and played it.. and fell in love with it.. who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:15 am
Bestest album evar for late-night driving: Elhaz - The Black Flame. Gorgeous symphonic metal, has the right majestic feel for sunsets, but dancey enough to keep you awake at two in the morning. It’s been a constant companion on roadtrips since it came out.
Just to throw a little more variety into the mix: Jill Tracy - Diabolical Streak. Jill Tracy does totally cool burlesque stuff, lots of jangly piano and lyrics that say “I’m gonna kill you slow, and you’re gonna love every minute of it.” All my friends who are fans of the Decembrists are in love with Jill Tracy, if that gives you an indication.
Just because: Enter the Haggis - Soapbox Heroes. Because if you don’t know the mighty Haggis yet, you should. Celtic indie rock. Bagpipes!
More travelin’ music: Green on Red - Gas Food Lodging. The only country album I ever owned. It just screams “open road.”
Still more travelin’ music: Fields of the Nephilim - The Nephilim. Listen to the opening guitar chord of the opening track– just the one chord– and tell me that’s not drivin’ music.
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:43 am
i KNEW i could count on R for some good picks!
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:22 am
I like to start all major road trips with Elvis Costello’s Armed Forces. The first lyric on the record is “I just don’t know where to begin…” so it always seemed appropriate. Imperial Bedroom is always with me in the car.
My other traveling favorite is James Taylor’s greatest hits. You can’t help but wail along with “Going to ‘Carolina.”
My obscure recommendation is the Disk Two of the Jethro Tull 20 years Boxed Set. It has some amazing tracks including my all time favorite “Underwraps.” I used to drive my roommate in Seattle crazy because I discovered the programmable songs feature on his 5-disc player (remember this is the dawn of CD’s in the late 80’s). I would play songs from the 4 albums and everyother song would be “Underwraps.” He finally blew a hissy.
He was a big Traffic fan, so you should take “Low Spark for High Healed Boys.” You might consider taking Marley’s Legends as this is one of those CDs you’d want to be trapped on an Island with.
I also take the opportunity on long trips to listen to both CDs from Joe Jackson Live, another early boxed set.
My wife would recommend Bellybutton by Jellyfish, Nil One by Neil Finn, and Splendor by Splendor.
I would throw in one album by XTC, either Singles or English Settlement.
In addition to a great road trip you can relive the soundtrack of my glory days. Have a safe trip, Buzzman!
August 2nd, 2006 at 2:50 pm
joe rohan, these days.
OAR, in between now and then.
big head todd and the monsters, (sister sweetly on it).
belle and sabastian, (any & all)
alanis morisette, jagged little pill.
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:19 pm
OMG..
how could i forget belle and sebastian!
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:58 pm
one more thing!
i got a new one in the mail today..
cathryn beeks’ desert music -
checkit here..
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:47 pm
Now what road trip would be complete without a copy of DP3?? I’m sure Joey P. has a copy you could rip for your trip!! You’ve got great taste in music though, I do like James Taylor, John Denver, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Creed when I travel.
Have a great time and be safe!
Sue Powers