music to live by

Not too long ago I promised to update this site a lot:

http://ultimateplaylistproject.wordpress.com

The concept stands, and I'm not taking the site anywhere.  I just don't have time to pester people for lists (although, admittedly, I've still got two in my inbox that need to be formatted...shhhh).

In the meantime, I started thinking: am I satisfied with my own music library?  Itunes allows us to add items constantly--albums from friends, recs from the Internet, random songs that struck our fancy one day.  My library, according to the system's calculations, would require 7.5 days to listen to from start to finish.  A lot of it is crap that means almost nothing to me.  Some of it is music I have lived my twenties by.  So I'm going to start with "A" (which in my library happens to be A.C Newman's solo album "The Slow Wonder," a definite keeper) and weed out the lies.  Along the way I might spotlight some music here that I toss, or some that I keep.  On a Sunday morning with coffee and an allergy attack, here's my first stab at explaining the chance-y entries...

--Bob Schneider, "Lonelyland" and various singles: He's an Austin-based singer/songwriter who I think has gained a decent amount of fame elsewhere too.  The Schneider question in Austin is controversial.  He has standing gigs at some amazing smaller venues.  And apparently he once dated Sandra Bullock.  But half of the people you could stop on a street in downtown Austin will roll their eyes at the mention of his name.  Hardcore hipsters hate his music, which is one of the reasons I gave it a try (because I loathe hardcore hispters).  But, you know, it does....suck.  His voice feels forced all the time.  His lyrics are cheesey.  He looks like an asshole most of the time because he never seems to take his sunglasses off.  His latest single (off a critically-panned album that he had to release himself) reference the Tin Man and the Wizard of Oz...with no irony.  It's like Top 40 for twelve-year-olds.  So, here he goes...into my own personal musical dumpster.