I spent a fun day filling out a database sheet with the info for 100 CDs that have come into the collection over the course of the year. As soon as I figure out how to add it in here, watch that official O/CD Tally number jack up. And that’s mostly physical discs; just wait until I get to the digital deliveries! A few years back, I went into a frenzy of cataloging albums during the last few days before New Year’s Eve, just to see if I had made it past 1,000 albums for the year. And I did.
Not sure if I’ll hit the same landmark this year, but there’s only one way to find out…
Today, I’ll play it old school, with a list of 11 acquisitions from my favorite trade-in joint, The CD Cellar (I frequent the Falls Church location). As is typical in the last few days before payday, I gather up the promos I don’t like and/or stuff I’ve ripped to the hard drive if the packaging isn’t cool, pulled a few LPs that don’t meet Archive Standard (the music, not the condition), and headed off to cash in and peruse the racks. The one brand new CD I bought, RADIOHEAD‘s “TKOL RMX 1234567″ (TBD Records) (2 CDs, $9.99) may get stashed away as a Christmas gift (yes, I said it!) for hubby. (He rarely reads the blog, so no spoilage there).
The rest came from the $1.99 Clearance bins and, once I hit about seven or eight discs I was interested in, I kept looking until I had 10, to get the discount deal (10 for $15.99). The booty:
ART OF NOISE – “daft” (Universal/ZTT) “contains noise-shots recorded during the year Art of Noise spent taping up at the Zang Tuum Tumb Record label – 1983.” I was intrigued as I had never seen/heard of this release. Also liked the little logo on the back cover, with the motto: “Be Happy or Die.”
ANTSY McCLAIN and the TRAILER PARK TROUBADORS – Heroes Last Forever (DPR Records) McClain once recorded a song about a crazy woman named Maryann Meyers. How could I not support his further efforts? Also, kinda curious about titles like “Aunt Beulah’s Road Kill Overcoat,” “John Lennon as an Old Man” (that one kinda scares me, too) and “I Might as Well Be Talking to the Wall (featuring Lauren, 5 years old).”
WHISKEYTOWN – In Your Wildest Dreams (Outpost) Four “previously unreleased” songs from 1997. Ryan Adams – and a blonde guy – are pictured on the back cover, with a note that Whiskeytown’s “Strangers Almanac” is (was then) available. I’m a sucker for promo rarities.
The LA’S – Four-track single (Polygram) Three live tracks, including (of course!) “There She Goes,” and one studio track (“I Can’t Sleep”) in generic plastic case.
JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD – Tell Me (Polymer/Nonesuch) Cardboard sleeve advance. I enjoyed the track that was given away as a free download (“Our Hearts Are Wrong”) and, upon first listen, I’m liking the others, too. Reminds me of Laura Marling, and that’s cool.
The FLAMING LIPS – The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.) Maybe I have this album already? Not sure but, since this one is a gold “CD-clone” (it says on the disc) advance, I grabbed it; just kinda like that it’s a different kind of promo.
THAT THING YOU DO – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Playtone/Epic) Unlike her father, Post-Grad Girl does sometimes read the blog, which means she might see this and know that, since this album is already in my collection, and she loves having her own copy of albums she loves….
MICHAEL BUBLE – (eponymous) (143 Records/Reprise) Having a sense of humor goes a long way in winning me over. Though my initial impression of Buble was dismissive, his classic appearance on SNL with Jon Hamm (“if you know a better place for fine pork products and champagne…”) plus his not trying to stop the Internet meme …Stalked by a Velociraptor, earned my admiration.* Revisiting his music, care of exposure by Post-Grad Girl, I’ve come to actually like his interpretations of pop standards and new tunes. On this album (could be yet another gift, if I find out my mom doesn’t have it), he makes the mistake of slowing down “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” but the rest is pretty good. It’s generally better when he swings rather than goes all ballad-y. Good arrangements, too, in the Nelson Riddle/Sinatra school.
(*The humor thing hasn’t worked for Josh Groban, though. I appreciate the comic turns he’s done on “Glee” and “The Office” but it doesn’t make his poperatic style any easier to bear.)
GLENN MILLER – Big Bands (Time-Life) I was sorting through the jazz collection the other day and was taken aback that I have limited Miller. This CD, being a basic hits collection, probably duplicates much of what’s already there but, as I said, I needed to make it to 10 and even a few new tracks make it a good deal.
CAMELOT – Original Broadway Cast (Columbia) Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, even Richard Burton sounds reasonably good on this Broadway classic.
And so (until the database arrives) the new O/CD Tally: 16
