the little things

I have purposely cut back on the variety of music I make available to myself this month. This means I have less choice, which means I spend less time thinking about the choice, which in the end means more time with the music and a greater satisfaction with my choice. If you haven't done so, you should read this book by Barry Schwartz. Don't worry if you have to read in small sections to avoid getting a headache. Dude is way smart.

I still can't help but feel as if I'm missing out on something though. They haven't stopped making new music, thankfully. It just keeps coming, whether I listen or not. How will I ever take it all in? How can I be sure that while I'm listening to the rather mediocre Blakroc I'm not missing the next big thing, my next favorite record? Joanna Newsom's new triple LP has been out for weeks now and I haven't heard one note of it because I've been giving myself other listening assignments. Is this why they say the grass is always greener? Are there ever times when the grass looks as green as it can get right under my feet?

My life has been a scandal for a bit more than a year now. I've had relationship trouble, financial trouble, family trouble, car trouble and troubles of the soul. When will my grass be green again? Will my grass be green again? What does this have to do with music? I touched on this last week, but when I can slow down and take notice of the little things I start to understand that without them, there are no big things. Sure, I could be listening to hundreds of other records but instead I've really come to love Jackson Browne, "Who Knows Who Cares" by Local Natives and about half of the Broken Bells album. That's not nothing. They shouldn't be overlooked by obsessing with what's next.

The same can be said with the rest of my life. While on the subway Tuesday evening I had the time and space to ponder why it was so hard for me to ask for help trying to get my car to start. Why did that feel so humiliating? Taking the time to notice that feeling, to process it, helped me move on to the next thing. Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch as a comparison, but I've spent a lot of time with the six albums I set aside the last two weeks. I know them now and don't really have to question whether I should spend more time with them. It's okay to move on to something else.

So, the next thing will be Teen Dream (2010) by Beach House, Goo (1990) by Sonic Youth and The Campfire Headphase (2005) by Boards of Canada.

Zebra - Beach House

Disappearer - Sonic Youth

(If I could share a song it would be "Chromakey Democrat")