30 Day Music Challenge - The LAST day - day 30 - your favorite song at this time last year
Nope. Not just a song. A whole friggin' album.
All In Good Time - Barenaked Ladies
I never remember anticipating a new release so badly in all my life. This was more than waiting for U2's Joshua Tree. More than Pearl Jam's Vs. This was a long emotional road to hoe. This was redemption for all those torn feelings just a year before. I think I listened to it in the car for nearly a week before I allowed anything else to be played.
And what did I hear? To my ears, it was the continuation of what was started on BLAM and BLAMen - namely, more contributions from Jim and Kevin, rather it being just the Steve and Ed show (or in this case, the Ed show). Musically speaking, it was a hard rocking album, but there were lighter moments as well. Lyrically, more of an angry-sad album, at least in terms of Ed's songs, and yet more contemplative in terms of Kevin's and Jim's contributions. In short, it's a bit all over the place, but I think that's part of its beauty. Contrast that with Steve's equally wonderful, but very focused collection some months later, and you can see the different trajectories each were on.
Still, when I think of how I even allowed myself to toy with the notion of no BNL at the time of the break up (Orlando, anyone?) to the time of AIGT's release, and this becomes more than just an album - it becomes pretty much a statement of everything I love about the band.
So, thus ends the challenge. It was fun, but it made me realize how much of an album oriented listener I am. I do play songs in the shuffle mode on my iPod, but for the most part, I want the whole enchilada when I'm listening to music. :)
All In Good Time - Barenaked Ladies
I never remember anticipating a new release so badly in all my life. This was more than waiting for U2's Joshua Tree. More than Pearl Jam's Vs. This was a long emotional road to hoe. This was redemption for all those torn feelings just a year before. I think I listened to it in the car for nearly a week before I allowed anything else to be played.
And what did I hear? To my ears, it was the continuation of what was started on BLAM and BLAMen - namely, more contributions from Jim and Kevin, rather it being just the Steve and Ed show (or in this case, the Ed show). Musically speaking, it was a hard rocking album, but there were lighter moments as well. Lyrically, more of an angry-sad album, at least in terms of Ed's songs, and yet more contemplative in terms of Kevin's and Jim's contributions. In short, it's a bit all over the place, but I think that's part of its beauty. Contrast that with Steve's equally wonderful, but very focused collection some months later, and you can see the different trajectories each were on.
Still, when I think of how I even allowed myself to toy with the notion of no BNL at the time of the break up (Orlando, anyone?) to the time of AIGT's release, and this becomes more than just an album - it becomes pretty much a statement of everything I love about the band.
So, thus ends the challenge. It was fun, but it made me realize how much of an album oriented listener I am. I do play songs in the shuffle mode on my iPod, but for the most part, I want the whole enchilada when I'm listening to music. :)