I have a confession.
Over the years, I’ve acquired the habit of compulsively listening to certain music while driving my car. I’m like the mini-bus driver in a Latin American locale, going for months sometimes, spinning that one CD over and over and over again. I let it roll on like that til I tire of it, but sometimes it takes months to get to that point.
The current compulsion is Paul Simon’s Rhythm of The Saints. I drive one hour each way every day from ABQ to Santa Fe and still I allow it to play. And still I sing along wholeheartedly, gleefully and loudly. It’s been two months and I’m still not tired of it. It’s like hypnotizing myself with good jungle vibes.
Other artists on my compulsive music listening list are: Lyle Lovett, Prince, Beck, Calexico and Devandra Banhart. I notice these are all male artists and I don’t really know what’s up with that.
Anyway, my question for you all out there is – what music do you compulsively and (happily) listen to?
My official “driving through the southwest” album is Radiohead’s “OK Computer”. I made a point of listening to it at least once a day when I did the Nevada -> Utah -> Colorado -> New Mexico -> Arizona -> California leg of my “driveabout” trip. Now any time I drive in the desert I have the urge to listen to it, and any time I listen to it elsewhere I think of the desert. — My current “Daily Listen” is a playlist that I’ve been trying to grow in to a mix CD, but it hasn’t let me know what all of the songs are for it yet (though I did just add two this week, which almost has it finished).
Ooooh . . . melikes OK Computer too! My desert compulsion is definitely Calexico. As soon as your new daily mix reveals itself, do share!
Robert Forster’s newest, ‘The Evangelist’ is a sure fire road-trip album. Awesome stuff from the former Go-Between.