Obsession

The music listed below is (I think) a pretty full account of my obsession albums - discs with which I've been so enraptured that they were put on repeat for hours and didn't lose their full appeal for months. Each of these artists might have stronger albums, but in every case this was my introduction and has remained my favourite. If you have access to these albums via friends, the library, or a sudden lottery win, I suggest giving them a listen.

In vague chronological order of my discovery:
1996 (?): Great Big Sea - Play
By maritime Canada's best known Celtic group, I still turn to this disc when I need cheering up.

Peters Drury Trio - When Old Met New
This Yukon swing & jazz trio has since replaced a founding member with two other musicians. I haven't heard much of the result but I'm still sad that Jesse went off to be a youth pastor rather than a jazz musican.

Stephen Fearing - So Many Miles (Live Album)
He's an incredible Ontarian singer-songwriter who I've been priveliged to see a handful of times and can't get enough of. Also check out Blackie & the Rodeo Kings with fellow rock/folkies Colin Linden and Tom Wilson.

The Waifs - Sink or Swim
An independent Australian trio who started their musical career travelling around Australia in a camper van and singing for whatever they could get. Their story is recounted on this album in "A Brief History".

Corb Lund Band- 5 Dollar Bill
Southern Albertan Corb (formerly Corby!) Lund used to be the bassist for the Smalls, an indie-rock group I've never actually heard. In this incarnation, he fronts his own roots-country band. I used to swear I hated country music. And then I heard Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Corb Lund.

Dar Williams - Out There Live
American Dar Williams is best live. Her performances are sweet, endearing, emotional and simply amazing. Her albums, unfortunately, do not always live up to her abilities, though I'm sure there are exceptions. But if you can't see her live, go for the live album. It's almost as good.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
I've listened to a few of Wilco's other albums, and while I've enjoyed them, nothing's caught me as much as this one. I don't know how to describe the recording by this American band except as sort of mellow and weird. This was not something I expected to like.

Harry Manx - Wise & Otherwise
I heard Harry's song "Don't Forget to Miss Me" on CKUA enough times that I was finally prompted to write his name on my arm at a stoplight one day and actually go out and buy his album: for me, it was a red-letter day. Manx combines blues with his training in classical Indian music, playing the guitar, lap steel and a 20-string sitar/guitar like instrument called the veena. You can hear some of his songs on harrymanx.com. I'd like to claim Harry Manx as a Canadian but the man's been nearly everywhere so he probably better qualifies as a global citizen.

David Essig - Declaration Day
With 16 albums produced in a 30 year career, David Essig's been around the block. He plays a mesmerizing combination of roots & blues that had me in tears at Folk Fest last year (in a good way!) and I still get a kick out of telling people he plays slide guitar with a 5/8" deepwell socket wrench. From Thetis Island, BC, he also serves on the Islands Trust board - a municipal group charged with maintaining the natural state of the islands of the coast of BC.

The Weakerthans - Left & Leaving
My roommate Lucas lent me this album shortly before Rem's return in 2003. It's a really good thing I didn't have it earlier in the year as it expressed much of what I'd been feeling in an almost tangible way. This group is from Winnipeg - apparently a hotbed for musical development, believe it or not.

The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music
Rem came home from Taiwan and sat me down to listen to "All the Right Reasons". It had been his obession song in Taiwan and quickly became one of mine. It's a rumba, too.

2005: Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
We saw Sam Beam (whom I keep wanting to call Jim Beam) in Amsterdam in November. We were in a pretty small concert space - a foot-high stage in a classroom-sized black box and I was really impressed with the audience. Most people sat down and everyone kida shifted good-naturedly to make room for others. There was a small group of people standing at the back by the sound guy but no one jostled to the front or talked during the performance. You just COULDN'T, really. The music was too ethereal and absorbing. I'd only hear about 4 tracks of his stuff before the concert and didn't expect to be so enraptured. I was REALLY glad I'd happened to pick up one of his discs for Rem for Christmas back in Canada.