The Soundtrack of Our Lives

It's strange how geography and lifestyle can alter musical preferences so much. My tastes while in Athens overlap only slightly with my favorite music during the summer and winter breaks when I'm in Brevard. Apparently, the same goes for Cortona. My Athens music is usually driven by indie stuff like Death Cab, Sufjan Stevens, Ryan Adams, Bright Eyes, and such, with a bit of folk, such as John Prine, and southern rock, such as the Allman Brothers, thrown in. Add a bit of classic rock from Seger, Aerosmith, the Stones, and the Eagles, as well as some out-there favorites like Natalie Merchant, and you basically have my mix of music while at school.

In Brevard, 88.7 dominates my ears with its electic, multiple-personalityish mix. I listen to a lot more folk and bluegrass at home, and not so much of the newer indie stuff. Malcom Holcombe, Bob Seger, and the Eagles are typically my favorites back home.

David Gray, the Drive-By Truckers, John Mellencamp, the Eagles, Shawn Mullins, and Ryan Adams are my concrete favorites; it seems that regardless of where I am or what mood I'm in, these guys come through in the clutch. It's been interesting to see how my musical tastes have differed thus far this summer.

Music has been a big part of my Italy experience thus far. My iPod has been a great companion on the train, in the studio, on the city wall, on the bus, and often in the moments before I go to sleep at night. Strangely enough, a lot of my typical favorites aren't seeing as much time, and complete albums are really working for me instead of random songs. Here's the soundtrack of my summer, thus far:

Ryan Adam's "Heartbreaker". Dynamic enough to work in a lot of settings, be it a chill evening, motivating studio work, etc. "My Sweet Carolina" makes me a bit homesick each time it runs through, though.

My Morning Jacket's "Z" and "It Still Moves". Two of my favorite albums that did make the jump over the pond.

Sigur Ros. The weird chill/indie vibe that these guys provide has been great listen to while I write in my journal. Beautiful meditative music.

Wilco's "A Ghost is Born". Another dynamic one. "Kidsmoke" is my favorite tune while running, and a lot of the other songs are good things to draw to in the studio.

The Allman Brothers' "Live at The Filmore East". Favorite album to work to in the studio thus far.

Any and all Drive-By Truckers are still candy for my ears, despite the subject matter and tone seeming to come from another world.

Shawn Mullins is still a favorite also, with "Eggshells" seeing a lot of playing time.

The Wallflowers' "Breach" and "Red Letter Days". Two albums that I haven't listened to much recently have been almost on repeat in the last several weeks. "Rebel, Sweetheart" is another album that has seen a lot of time, and the one album of theirs that I usually do listen to, "Bringing Down the Horse" has only gone through once or twice. Definitely my favorite band of the summer to this point.

A big surprise is that a few of my favorites like the Eagles, and Aqualung, and Aerosmith, haven't been doing it for me so much. Maybe it's the elevation.