Music and NYC

I have been gone for a while, haven't I? Sorry. I didn't mean to be; it's just that life happened and such. You all know how that goes.

Anyway, NYC was awesome for the most part. I got to see lots of really cool things and see some great friends. But mostly, I don't really want to write about the trip itself because while it was great and fab; it was also not great and not fab. If I wrote all the things I really thought and felt it would probably hurt someone (some of you know the story and some of you will hear all about it in a few weeks) and so I will just say that my love affair with NYC has only just begun. I plan on a return trip sometime this summer. Anyone who I've traveled with before can come along.

Mostly, I want to talk about two cds that I have been listening to a lot these days. Ryan Adams' cd Gold was my NYC soundtrack. I listened to it for days before leaving and I listened on the subways of NYC and I am listening to it right now. I don't know why this disc makes me think of NYC. Maybe it's because of the Felicity connection (my love of Felicity knows few boundaries); maybe it's the fact that there is a song called New York, New York on the cd; maybe it's the fact that it was released on Sept. 11 (which I only recently found out). I don't know why it is but there are some seriously beautiful songs on this disc. If you haven't heard it and want to give it a try, call me and I will fix you up. If I was forced to pick my favorite songs on the disc, I would choose La Cienga Just Smiled; Gonna Make You Love Me; Somehow, Someday and New York, New York. Anyway, I just loved Ryan Adams. I don't care if he is a pompous, asshole in real life; he makes good music.

The other cd that has taken over my life is Sufjan Steven's Illinois. Being a native Illini, I can only love a cd that has a song called Decatur (that's the city where we had many a track meet). Plus, he totally gives props to Squater's hometown in Jacksonville. I think the only thing that could have made this cd better is if he'd written a song about the cougar that used to live on SIUE's campus. I remember visiting the cougar when I was little. Anyway, there are some seriously great songs on this disc too. Check out the songs Chicago, John Wayne Gacy Jr., and Casimir Pulaski Day.

Happy Listening.