4.5 years into this project, I thought it might be time to revisit my original intent—it’s not far off but has also evolved. The principal takeaway is that I’ve found I’m too much of a perfectionist to crank out a post in an hour or so (if I could I might actually achieve 45 posts per year!). Instead, I probably spend too much time trying to cleverly convey my meaning, then begin to feel ridiculous about the whole thing, slap on a pat ending, and press “publish” (and even then I often can’t help but go back in the ensuing days and tweak a thing here and there). So, these are not always disciplined, measured responses, but at times capture some of the feelings that are conjured. Sometimes I look forward to what’s next, but just as often I’m at a loss of what to take on. I’d think, “Oh, just put something on and words will come,” but I’ve had a few indifferent and aborted starts too. Even if I can’t quite articulate that special magic behind a record that moves me, if I stick it through two or three listens I find that I reach a deeper understanding. I also didn’t expect that certain reevaluations would result in making deletions to the collection, but that’s been a development too. Finally, since it’s such a hermetic exercise, it’s easy to get so self-involved as to forget that others have just as profound an affinity for their music. The only difference might be that few are crazy enough to attempt to write about it. I don’t have any rarified insight on any these things, in fact, I’ve only become more aware about what I don’t know. (December 2020)
Some terms:
top ten – hyperbolic designation sure to exceed 10 records
black sheep – records undervalued by their creator(s) and/or fanbase
new to me – first listen at time of writing
Hollywood harmonica – soulless, high-register harp playing—think “Karma Chameleon” but also music accompanying good ol’ boy hijinks in TV and movies of the 1970s-80s
86d – on further reflection, purged from the collection (no hard feelings)
45rpy 