Checking out some music

...So I've never been big on libraries. In fact, I'm not a big book reader. Magazines and newspapers -- I'm all over 'em. Not books, novels.

Then Kates -- who looooooooooves libraries and books -- mentioned to me how much I might enjoy checking out some music from our neighborhood library ...

I took her up on it and got myself a library card, and checked out a handful of CDs several weeks ago, although initially the selection wasn't as wide and up-to-date as I had hoped ...

Nonetheless, craving for some new stuff, or at least some things I hadn't yet heard, I went back the other night amid some other errands. ... Perhaps all the good stuff was checked out last time I went, 'cause on this night, once I got started I couldn't be stopped!!! ... and before I knew it, I had an arm full and had to stop ... our library won't let you check out for than 10 CDs at a time ...

... I came away with...

... Paula Cole: This Fire ... I got it on a cassette tape in high school and remember loving it, although I haven't listened to it in awhile. I thought it might be fun to pop it into a CD player and revisit it ...

... Ace of Base: The Bridge ... same circumstance as Paula Cole ... that and 'Lucky Love' is one of my all-time favorites ...

... Barenaked Lades: Maroon ... great rock album!!

... The Beautiful South: Painting it Red ... Thanks to a cohort, I got hooked on Beautiful South in college, and dubbed a couple of their other albums on to a tape. Their lyrics are pretty smart and humorous, and their pop folk sound is os so fun to listen to. I popped this one in last night and it was just as good as I had hoped ...

... Clay Aiken: Measure of a Man ... yeah, yeah, yeah. Say what you want. But I liked 'Invisible' when it was on the radio and I'm curious what the rest of the album sounds like ...

... The Cardigans: First Band on the Moon ... I've always liked 'Lovefool' and I've always wondered what the rest of their stuff sounds like. Now I'll find out ...

... Shawn Colvin: Whole New You ...have looooooooooved Shawn Colvin for as long as I can remember. Kates and I had a friend sing one of her songs at our wedding, and I count seeing her last summer as one my dreams come true.

... Paul McCartney: Chaos & Creation in the Backyard ... I previewed this one at a Border's store when it came out last year and wasn't blown away, but I'd like to spend a little more time with it ...

... David Bowie: the Best of Bowie ... I've never considered myself a Bowie fan, other than 'Changes,' but when I popped this one in the other night, I was surprised at how many of his songs I knew and like ...

...Dido: Life For Rent ... I purposely saved this one for last. Among the CDs I checked out, this was probably one of the ones I thought I'd be least interested in. Yeah, I like what I've heard from Dido before, but I just wasn't overly excited about listening to this CD ...think again!! I'm listening to it again now for like the third, maybe the fourth time, and can't get enough of it!! Perhaps it's the fact I've been in such an exhausted, stressed-out state-of-mind this week, and I'm find these meoldies and music soooooo soothing, the lyrics soooo comforting and compelling (particularly the fourth track, 'Mary’s in India'...). But then again, I'm pretty sure I'd love it no matter what state of mind I'm in. It's an amazing album ...