I’m not sure there are any original thoughts I could share about this album. It’s been talked about to death, and for good reason. This album changed me when I heard it for the first time at 13 as I’m sure it’s changed many others the first time someone showed them Minor Threat. Much like the Lonnie Liston Smith record I posted a while back, this album has also been a constant source of inspiration and grounding, but for different parts of my soul that need nurturing. It’s one of those records that, for me, you hear one song off of then have to go listen to the entire thing. I do have a rule that I won’t listen to this before I do standup though. My “fuck it” levels are just too high after a listen.
On my birthday, surprising nobody, I was in a record store, and ended up buying myself my ultimate sad girl album. This isn’t an “ah things aren’t great and I’m angsty and upset” album. This is an I’m so fucking depressed and things are BLEAK and maybe I’m also heartbroken and I DONT WANT TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, I wanna lean into it and feel the fuck out of my feelings….kinda album. God it’s so good. So indulgent. Nothing does it for me in that moment like this record. For being an album that occupies such a specific emotional space in my life, I actually found out about it through standup. I went and looked it up back in 2008 after hearing Patton Oswalt reference it in his KFC Famous Bowl bit.
Nothing should be read into the fact I bought this on my birthday, I’ve been hunting a copy for a while and am currently very very happy.
One of the most special records in my collection. This album has long been a source of both inspiration and grounding. So when I had the opportunity to buy a copy from @djpari_ in 2020 during a fundraising record sale, and have it signed by @lonnielistonsmith – it was a no brainer. If you hang out with me you’ve probably heard this album b/c it’s on my turntable at least once a week. If I’ve made you a playlist, chances are a song off this record is on it. Good music isn’t hard to come by, but music that stays with you is.
