This one simmers in the zeitgeist of 1989 dance music that I rebelled against. If I could capture a scene, it would be like coming back from far-off travels to your suburban hometown, walking into a bar where the music is so loud you can’t even hold a conversation. You’d scan the top shelf hoping for an anise or something exotic, but all you see is Jose Cuervo Gold, so you order a Bud in a bottle and try to drown the mediocrity. Good grief critics, this is one of the 1001 albums. If pressed, I think I could come up with 10,001 better albums. This one conjures up shitty memories of shitty times with shitty music. Wish it was better as Neneh has a decent voice and although some music does breakthrough in the same genre like Madonna or Deelite or from some Acid House dj booth, this one will get the lowest rating. Sorry Neneh, but you caved into the time and place to make something rather forgetable.

I bought Funeral back in 2004, shortly after its release, probably after a Pitchfork review. Revisiting the album nearly twenty years later brought back a flood of memories tied to people, places, and time. Back then, I was navigating life as a father, teacher, and friend, full of hope and discovery. Listening to Funeral helped me make sense of the world. It framed an artistry of sound that mirrored my own attempts to understand the rhythm of this life. A strong album that still holds up. Way to go, Arcade Fire.

Another CD I owned back in 1990, in fact my first Pixie album. Black Francis and company tapped into the ethos, pathos, and logos of us 20 somethings as some of us started bands and made art. I'm Digging for Fire!