Road Music

So I just made the big move to Tennessee. From Minnesota. In my car. Why yes, thank you for asking. It was a long drive.

I got to stop in Chicago, though. That was fun.

So anyway, what does one do while driving for a planned fifteen hours, and actual 17 or 18? Listen to music, right?

I loaded up my ipod and then completely trapped my FM transmitter under piles of other stuff, so I didn't even get to listen to half of what I planned. Thankfully, I still had a bunch of my new CDs in my purse, and the great thing about new CDs is that you can listen to them more than once, even in a row. And truthfully, that made the trip seem shorter, listening to fewer CDs. That might seem strange, but it worked out well. So, here's what I listened to:

Jon McLaughlin, OK NOW: twice.
Cadillac Sky, Gravity's Our Enemy: three times.
Rebecca Lynn Howard, No Rules: twice
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife: three times
Deana Carter, The Chain: a whopping FIVE (maybe six, I honestly lost count) times
Keith Urban, Greatest Hits-19 Kids: twice

Other than about a half an hour of radio at the end of each trip (into Chicago and then into Murfreesboro) that got me through 17 or 18 hours of driving. I'd recommend especially The Decemberists for a drive, especially if you're driving by yourself. That is an album that is meant to be listened to front to back in one sitting, and when you've got nothing else to do... it's perfect.

What didn't I get to listen to? The road mix I made specifically for this drive including all sorts of leaving home songs and going to Tennessee songs. Kind of a bummer. Also, a few mixes made by the guy I stayed with in Chicago-- I really wanted to listen to them before I saw him and knew driving would be the perfect time to do it, but didn't get to.

But I can listen to them now.
I'll report back.

What's some of your favorite road music? Do you listen to CDs, mixes on your iPod, the radio? What gets you through a long drive?

My Music, 2008

In no particular order, the music that made 2008 great:
(in other words, everything I bought this year)


Cadillac Sky, Gravity's Our Enemy
Sugarland, Love on the Inside
Chuck Wicks, Starting Now
Jason Mraz, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Elevation, Strangelove
White Light Riot, Atomism
Phil Vassar, Prayer of a Common Man
Keri Noble, Fearless
Keith Urban, 19 Kids
Taylor Swift, Fearless
Michael Buble, Call Me Irresponsible
Trisha Yearwood, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love
Josh Ritter, The Historical Conquests
Carrie Underwood, Carnival Ride
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
Matt Nathanson, Some Mad Hope
Ingrid Michaelson, Be Ok
Ingrid Michaelson, Girls and Boys
Blue Moon Rising, Blue Moon Rising
Cherryholmes, Cherryholmes II Black and White
Punch Brothers, Punch
Lori McKenna, Unglamorous
Bethany Dick, Bethany Dick



Some of this music I was obviously slow to catch on to, but mostly not. I also realize by looking at this that my musical taste really has broadened. I wonder what next year's list will look like...

And of course, that's not all I listened to-- that's just the new stuff. Other music that definitely had its place was

Martina McBride, Waking Up Laughing
Colbie Caillat, Coco
Sara Bareilles, Little Voice
John Mayer, Continuum
...among others


New so far this year, 2009:

Ari Hest, Someone to Tell
Josh Kelley, Almost Honest
Rebecca Lynn Howard, No Rules
Jon McLaughlin, OK Now

And you could count the Decemberists and the Matt Nathanson albums as 2009 albums, really, since I got them both for Christmas and really started listening to them after the new year.


What's on your 2008 list?