My personal New Year’s Resolution was to listen to 52 albums, one a week, that I hadn’t given the proper attention to when I bought them. That seems like a good idea, right?
I mean, I’m actually listening to albums that I sort of cast aside shortly after I purchased them. I was trying to become more knowledgeable about my own collection and more responsible as a collector.
Well, what I failed to factor in is that I tend to buy music impulsively and in lumps.
Case in point here’s a list of the albums I’ve purchased within the last 30 days;
The Good, the Bad & the Queen – The Good, the Bad & the Queen
Bloc Party – A Weekend in the City
Elliot Smith – Either/Or
Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans
Sufjan Stevens – A Sun Came
Arcade Fire – Funeral
Arcade Fire – EP
Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
TV on the Radio – Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV on the Radio – Young Liars
TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain
Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Joss Stone – Introducing Joss Stone
Now, do I have enough time to give every one of those albums their fair attention? Probably not, and certainly not now that I’ve given myself the restriction of having to listen to albums I’ve neglected in the past.
So haven’t I created a vicious circle of neglect? For every album that I dust off and pay attention to, aren’t I putting another in the ignore pile? Would it have been better off if I’d decided, from this point on, not to ignore anything that I bought?
My New Year’s Resolution was great, as long as I wasn’t getting anything new. But now that I am, it’s become a chore.
I think it’s only a matter of time before I become a typical American and break my resolution. But I’ll try to hold on for as long as I can.
