Tagged myself into this questions challenge from Andrei.

What are five of your favourite albums?

A bit hard to say, not because there are too many but mostly because I’ve always listened to songs, not albums. This is something I’m slowly going back on and fixing, trying to listen to albums as a whole instead of just the singles. But then again, artists today just release singles and the craft of making “concept albums” or story-albums is on the decline… But that’s a discussion for another time and another place. Here’s the list:

Warhaus – Ha Ha Heartbreak (2022)
Tom Waits – Nighthawks at the Diner (1975)
Arcade Fire – Everything Now (2017)
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Pulp – Different Class (1995)
Special mention: Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert (1975)

What are five of your favourite songs?

My Favourites playlist has more than 1000 songs, but let’s see what comes up:

Brooke Waggoner – Wonder-Dummied
Neko Case – Bad Luck
Florence + The Machine – Queen of Peace
R.E.M. – Imitation of Life
The War On Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore

Favorite instrument(s)?

Oh. Well, I wish I learned an instrument as a kid because it’s much harder to learn now. I’ll give a three-fold answer. First, guitar, because it’s the foundation of most of the stuff I listen to – rock, indie, post-punk etc. Second, piano, it’s the one I know a bit and love to bits and it’s also a “complete” instrument in a way, because it plays two registers at the same time so you can have a full song by using it solely. Third, clarinet, only because Mozart’s K622 is one of the most beautiful concertos ever – and Squidward plays it.

What song or album are you currently listening to?

I just finished listening to some of Madonna’s ’90s stuff, but I had some Balthazar on repeat this week as well. Next up is some more Tom Waits, I want it darker and grittier this weekend.

Do you listen to the radio? If so, how often?

Daily. In the morning, while cooking, when I’m doing a crossword on the balcony. It’s indispensable but it’s also just background noise and I skip channels once ads start. Sometimes I plug in a Henry Rollins episode to discover new music.

How often do you listen to music?

Whenever my ears aren’t busy with radio, films or YouTube rot.

What’s a song or album that you enjoy that you wish had more recognition?

I enjoy the artists as a whole and not just songs in particular. I’ve mentioned a few artists already: Neko Case, Brooke Waggoner, Warhaus. There are quite a few I really love and they don’t get as much recognition as the latest conveyor-belt-hit from this-month’s-viral-artist. But they’re “indie”, if they had been popular I wouldn’t have listened to them in the first place. Here’s a few more: Sunflower Bean, Father John Misty, The Divine Comedy, The Fall.

What’s your favorite song of all time?

It might be David Bowie’s “Heroes” or “Time“, I could play those at any time. Same goes with a few Rolling Stones tracks. It could also be any one from F+tM’s “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” which I got tattooed on my arm. Or, finally, The Pierces – Creation.

Has your taste in music evolved over the years?

Of course, it would be odd to stay the same. When I first got into music I listened to what was around – dad’s records, the radio etc. Then I listened to what I thought was cool and counter-culture, mainly rock and metal. As I grew I tried to listen to everything the critics considered “best”, which matured my tastes. Sure, I tried giving everything a go but I could never get into trance, trap, rap, R&B… Now I can give anything a try but I have old-school and hipsterish tastes. And I’m absolutely fine with that.

Now I’m not trying to proselytize here, everyone should listen to whatever they damn please. But if you’re still reading this, beware! Today it’s not just Google and Meta and TikTok that want your money and attention. It’s also Spotify and Universal and Sony. So when you start hearing some new artist getting promoted everywhere, out of nowhere, all at once, like Sabrina Carpenter or Troye Sivan last year, remember there are others that are much more talented and worth your attention. Give others your ear. Get their merch. Not to mention that it’s cheaper to get 10 front-row tickets to indie gigs than it is to get one mid-tier ticket to whoever’s this year’s summer brat.