Something about Music

I noticed something.  Back in the day, before Out of Time and definitely before Green, the only radio station in Chicago that played R.E.M. was WXRT - 93.1.  It seems that we have come full circle, because it is pretty much the only station that is playing R.E.M. now.

Not that R.E.M. is anything to get excited about these days.

WXRT, however, has introduced me to several bands.  Concrete Blonde is a memorable one - that was back in high school.  Transiberian Orchestra.  And now The National.  I heard "Sorrow" on the radio and it reminded me a bit of Leonard Cohen, so I looked it up on iTunes when I got home.  I didn't like it enough to buy a whole album, so I paid my 99 cents for the single and went on with my happy day.  A couple of weeks later, I heard "Bloodbuzz Ohio" on WXRT.  I didn't catch the name of the song, but I liked it a lot and was pretty sure it was the same voice so I bought the whole album.

I don't normally buy entire albums on iTunes.  I still like CDs, mainly because I play them in the car.  (Yeah, yeah.  I should hook up the iPod to the car.  I'm having trouble with that.  Back off.)  You know how you kind of have to let a new album sort of sink in to your head?  I do that on my morning commute.  But this sucker - High Violet is the title - is sinking into my head just from randomly letting it play sometimes when I am online.  They are weird.  Lyrics like, "I was afraid I'd eat your brains.  'Cause I'm evil."  So I decided they required a plug.

And thanks to WXRT.