MusicHead

U2: BOY (1980)*

Over the years I’d become really bored with U2, but recently that’s been relenting a bit. Thought I’d dive in to the catalog.

Collected Tracks

• I Will Follow

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Uncle Tupelo: MARCH 16-20, 1992 (1992)*

I’ve been an Uncle Tuplelo fan for some time, but I’d always mistaken this for a live album and had ignored it. How great that I was wrong! Now I get new Uncle Tupelo.

Collected Tracks

• Coalminers
• Wait Up
• Black Eye
• Moonshiner
• Atomic Power
• Sandusky

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Valerie June: PUSHIN’ AGAINST A STONE (2013)*

I’ve tried getting into Valerie June before. I couldn’t get into her voice, but she gets so much critical love that I feel the need to try again.

Collected Tracks

• Pushin’ Against a Stone
• You Can’t Be Told
• On My Way

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Van Morrison: WAVELENGTH (1978)*

Van the man!

A good, but not great, Van Morrison record. Was on the fence on a few tracks, but only the one really called out to me to add.

Collected Tracks

• Checkin’ It Out

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Van Morrison: INTO THE MUSIC (1979)

Double-dipping due to the size of the catalog. I ripped this record from a public library collection 15-20 years ago, so it’s not my first time hearing the tracks, but I don’t think I ever listened to it front-to-back before. I deleted the CD tracks, so I’m reacquiring the tracks I want.

Clearly a much stronger record than WAVELENGTH. I took nearly all the tracks.

Collected Tracks

• Bright Side of the Road
• Full Force Gale
• Steppin’ Out Queen
• Troubadours
• Rolling Hills
• You Make Me Feel So Free
• And the Healing Has Begun
• Steppin’ Out Queen (Alternative Take)

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What is The Rotation?

The primary way I build my digital music collection is by maintaining a playlist called, “The Rotation.” On this list, I load albums of artists I’m interested in hearing; mostly new-to-me artists or albums. Because I need some organizational principle to conduct this survey, I go by the alphabetical listing of the artist. I typically move from earlier records to later records, although there are exceptions. If I’m excited to hear a new album by a favorite artist I’ll add it in an apparent random placement to hear it sooner than later. From this list I’ll select tracks to add to my collection. It’s rare that I DNF a record, and uncommon for me to not select a single track from it. I’ve been doing this for a while and am currently on my 9th trip around the alphabet. Above are the albums heard in a given session and what thoughts, if any, I have about them. These are mostly first impressions, so don’t expect in-depth analysis.

Asterisks (*) after the album title indicate that it is a new-to-me record.