Music
 
Ani Difranco - Living in Clip
Oh my GOD this cd set  is amazing. I borrowed Jane Jane Jane Butane's copy at the debate Brief-A-Thon  a few months ago [debaters get together, write evidence, lots of fun] and it totally cleaned me inside. Her politically inclined lyrics are amazing, her love songs wounded, "Overlap" was written for me, her happy songs empowering. A two cd live set, it cost me $25 but it was SO worth it. This is a must have if you love good, good music, hate the corporate plastic of the Backstreet Boys, and like hearing angry chick music. Ani is god.
 

The Goo Goo Dolls -
Dizzy Up The Girl - I'm pretty sure you've already heard most of the songs on this cd - you know, Dizzy, Black Balloon, Slide, Broadway, and, of course, Iris. No wonder they have such huge amounts of fans now - these songs are all great. They all have poetry and meaning, and emotion, esp. Iris, but thats just my prejudice. But the whole cd is great. I don't really like the songs that Robby Takac sings [he's fat and old whereas Reznick is HOT and old] but they're alright. The other songs have just as much, if not more, poetry and emotion. Esp. check out Acoustic #3.
A Boy Named Goo - The Goo Goo Dolls cd that first got them famous. Name, of course, is on this cd, and it is an excellent song, as are a great many. Not so full of ballads as Dizzy Up the Girl, but instead, rockin type shit that makes you wish you were 16 in the early nineties. The lyrics are neat, again, not so poetic as Dizzy, but still make sense. I bought this cd because I thought it would be wrong to like them based only on one cd - they've been around since before I was alive - and i would definitely reccomend it if you're interested in seeing where they came from.
 

Sarah McLachlin -
Mirrorball - I think I would kill someone if I could have 1/8 of Sarah's talent and beauty. Oh well. Mirrorball is an excellent cd, specially since its live and her voice sounds so excellent. how many times can I say the word excellent? If you want to get into Sarah, which you must because she is the godess, I'd say get this first because its got songs from almost all her cds on it [none from touch which sux cuz i wanna hear vox live... rant.... sorry...]

Touch - listening to this cd was interesting cuz it was made in 1988, and thus lots of the music is like "whoa, this was made in 1988." But its still Sarah McLachlan, and after you get used to the fake drums and lack of bass and stuff, its pretty good. The liner notes kick ass too, she did all sorts of drawings etc in them...

Fumbling Towards Ecstacy
I like it. I think this was her... third cd, and it shows growth from touch. It's got Possession and this really great song called Wait on it, and dammit, Its Sarah McLachlan what else do I have to say?
 

Dawsons Creek Soundtrack -
 Ok, so I don't watch Dawsons Creek [I don't get cable.] But my friend Amanda got me totally hooked on this cd. There are only 2 "poplar" songs on it [Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer and I Don't Wanna Wait by Paula Cole] and the rest are nice and unknown. Some are sort of countryish but I'll forgive them that. The guy who sang Rockabye has a song called shimmer that is very good - his voice is great. Lifes a Bitch just makes me smile... Feels like Home makes me sigh.
 
 

Everclear -
So Much For The Afterglow -
Every single song on this cd is good. Everclear rocks. From the intro to the hidden track, they kick almighty ass. If you don't own this cd, there is something wrong with you. Thats all I needa say.

Learning How To Smile - Songs From An American Movie, Vol. 1
This cd, out of all of theirs, probably isn't the best; in fact, I'd be inclined to say that it's their worst.. But it's Everclear so thats all that matters. Its a lot more poppy than their other stuff, and its kinda weird to hear Art be happy, but whatever, more power to him. They're still Everclear, though. Spiffy cover of "Brown Eyed Girl" too.
 
 

Alanis Morrisette -
 Jagged Little Pill - This is a cd that everyone should own. My radio station rated "You Oughta Know" the second best/most influential song of the 90's [#1 was quite appropriatly Nirvanas "Smells Like Teen Spirit"] and i heartily agree. Alanis Morrisette did have a huge affect on music. And this cd is wonderful. It of course has the standards "Head Over Feet," "Hand In My Pocket," and naturally "Ironic." But the other songs on the cd are even better - "Forgiven" talks about the catholic church, and "Perfect" is about conditional love, and there is a very good hidden track that is just alanis singing, no instruments. A wildly good cd.
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie - its ok, there's a chunk of bad songs in the middle, and a lot of people including me think the first one was better. But this one has its moments. Songs like I Was Hoping and Baba and Cant Not and So Pure mean lots to me.
 

Counting Crows - Recovering The Satellites
Ohhhhhh what a great cd... I got it for Christmas because I love those songs "Long December" and "Daylight Fading" - and I read really good reviews of the cd. So I got it... and listened to it... and didnt really like it after two or three spins. However... Its one of those magical cds that get better and better and better as time goes on and as you listen to it more and more. Now Im obsessed. "Waiting For You" is the most radio-y, and "goodnight elisabeth" has this amazing moment when his voice sounds so strained and it goes along with the music... "Another Horsedreamers Blues" is a story song with beautiful music and the lyrics are simply poetic. It was worth the patient waiting.
 
 

Sarah Masen -
Sarah Masen is one of the few Christian artists who dont feel the need to put Jesus in every song. And I'm Incredibly thankful for that. Her song "Fly Baby" is probably my favorite, it talks about friendship and things not being said, "lets rip through the seams of our insecurities on to deeper things..." it means a lot to me. "Tuesday" is pure poetry, it talks about seeing the face of God through the beauty of nature. "Come In" is my theme song for my coffeehouse ["this is the palace of the thinkers, dreamers, in betweeners..."] Her music is poetic and expressive, and the fact that she doesnt worry about whether its godly enough makes it even better.
 

Jars Of Clay -
self titled - very good cd. its their first effort, which means it is what they produced without having huge amounts of fans, and they were just doing what they wanted to musically. and its wonderful, because the lyrics are all poetry. "Art In Me" is my favorite song, both off the cd and in general; "You plead to everyone, see the art in me..." its kind of my personal theme song. And "Worlds Apart" is another favorite, its something that helps me when i am sad.
 

U2 - Atchung Baby
 I have copious amounts of respect for bands that have been around since before I was alive and still are amazing. This cd has virtually no bad songs, a whole bunch of really really good songs, and can wake you up and soothe you to sleep equally well. This is the cd with Mysterious Ways on it [good song...] and has helped me quite a few times when I'm stuck for a line of poetry and need a lyric to steal (: plus they have the most perceptive lyric ever written "... every poet is a thief, all kill their inspiration and sing about their grief..."
 

Joydrop - Metasexual
This band had this really empowering single out called "Beautiful" ["I'm not beautiful like you... I'm beautiful like me!! ::angry guitars::] and then tried to put out "Spiders" but it didn't do so well. This might be the only one hit wonder cd that I own. But the thing is, unlike some one hit wonders, Joydrop didn't just have one good song and then a lot of crap on the cd. This cd genuinely rocks. Its got songs on it that got me through some really sleepless nights and have been there when I needed to sing along to something that expressed how happy i was and have anguished for me while listening to it on the bus irritated on the way to school. very good, I hope they don't disappear.
 

Live - Throwing Copper
I bought this cd after listening to Julie's copy at CFL nationals. This has Lightning Crashes on it. Some of the songs are kind of dark and opaque but for I Alone and Lightning Crashes and Selling The Drama and whatnot, its worth it. Plus, my town's anthem is on there! ["gotta live, gotta live, gotta live, in a shit town..."]
 

No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
I think everyone in the world has this cd. No Doubt is pretty good, one of those semi preppy and yet still depressing somehow cds. Don't Speak is on here. Good song.

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