While fumbling for words, an elderly Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK0 described the Internet as, “a series of tubes,” and almost immediately went viral with clever memes and GIFs. It may have sounded out-of-touch at the time, but it was more accurate than snarky network engineers would. I’ve heard the Internet described with the metaphor of pipes, tunnels, and plumbing plenty of times, but all metaphors aside, we might all be able to accept that the Internet of the last 20 years or so could accurately be described as a series of lists. Many sites require clicking throughIn light of that concession, allow me to make a list of desert island cross-country road trip albums that can carry for days. I think of them as Everyday albums; those albums that you could listen to every day without tiring of them. I didn’t put a count together before typing this up, but the list is long. I created a playlist with these albums, and with Shuffle, I could drive for days. I had a couple of self-imposed rules to this lis. No Best of or Soundtracks. The selections are eclectic and may not ring a bell, but they’re good onramps to the artists. Worth dialing up in your Spotify for a taste. My MP3 app tells me that the list amounts to 17+ days of solid music. In my experience, driving from coast to coast takes about 4 long days. Maybe I’ll use this blog to write some insights on American highways If you’re unsure of whether you care for a particular artist, These albums can all be considered goood onramps or jumping-off points to get a sense. My MO tells me to write a little blurb and highlight a track on each album, but there are a lot. Being on this list doesn’t necessarily mean that the listed album is the artists’ best, nor does it mean that the artist is a favorite of mine; simply albums that work; day after day. Some of the albums hover around times when an album came along and overlap with a particular transition in my life. Agree? Disagree? Something I’m missing? Leave a comment. There’s much to discuss. Check back often this list is not static, nor should it be. New music comes around each Friday, and sometimes it’s great.
The Joshua Tree :: U2 (1987)
A Rush of Blood to the Head :: Coldplay (2002)
Achtung Baby :: U2 (1991)
Boxer :: The National (2007)
Aerosmith :: Aerosmith (1973)
The Rising:: Bruce Springsteen (2002)
Weezer (Blue Album) :: Weezer (1994)
Taking The Long Way :: Dixie Chicks
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot :: Wilco (2002)
Before These Crowded Streets :: Dave Matthews Band
American Recordings :: Johnny Cash (1994)
The Animal Years :: Josh Ritter (2006)
O :: Damien Rice
A Ghost Is Born :: Wilco (2004)
The Bends :: Radiohead (1995
Vs. :: Pearl Jam (1993)
Harvest Moon :: Neil Young (1992)
Everyone Else Is doing it, So Why Can’t we? :: (1994)
OK Computer :: radiohead (1998)
Dear Lover :: Matthew Ryan 2009)
The Head and The Heart :: The Head and The Heart (2011)
Takk :: Sigur Ros
Good News For People who like Bad News :: Modest Mouse (2004)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road :: Elton John (1974)
Mellow Gold :: Beck (1996)
Ziggy Stardust :: David Bowie (1971)
Aftermath :: The Rolling Stones
Mosaic :: Wang Chung
Feeling Strangely Fine :: Semisonic
Third Eye Blind :: Third Eye Blind (1996)
Cease To Begin :: Band of Horses (2007)
Our Endless Numbered Days :: Iron & Wine (2004)
Bryter Layter :: Nick Drake (1971)
Gentlemen [Explicit] :: Afghan Whigs (1993)
Tourist :: Athlete (2005)
Whatever and Ever Amen :: Ben Folds Five (1997)
Out of the Blue :: Electric Light Orchestra (1974)
White Ladder :: David Gray (1998)
X & Y :: Coldplay (2005)
Bringing Down the Horse :: The Wallflowers (1996)