List Day: 5 CDs that Grow on You

Like a soul patch on a beatnik, these five CDs grow on you. I enjoy them more now than I did when I first listened to them, and have them in regular rotation in my static-marred car CD player. The links will take you to the Amazon MP3 pages for a sampling.

1. The Trick to Life by The Hoosiers:
   I originally described The Hooisers with "They steal from every source available and end up like the lead singer of The Darkness mixed with a less-quirky Mika mixed with a less annoying Hives, mixed with a more upbeat Keane, mixed with any number of 80s new wave bands." and this all still holds true. This album is very much an ALBUM, with the songs working together as an artistic whole, and the brass on the bonus track is a nice touch.


2. The Age of the Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets:
   This CD is what the Arctic Monkeys might have sounded like in the 1960s. I originally took points off for it being only 35 minutes long, but now feel like this is a very well done album. A few extra songs would never harm it, but the musicians get in and get out to say what they have to say, and no one gets hurt.


3. One Way Ticket to Hell (and Back) by The Darkness:
   Another shortie, which sometimes ends before I can get from Sterling to Arlington, but every song on this CD is catchy, fun to listen to, and tightly performed.


4. This is the Life by Amy MacDonald:
   Amy MacDonald excels at upbeat toe-tapping music, and the folksy nature of this CD makes it a fun car listen. With the exception of the last song, where she overuses the phrase "Footballer's Wife", I could listen to this CD ad nauseum.


5. Lessons to be Learned by Gabriella Cilmi:
   This CD isn't quite as good as the others, but it has a pleasant alto timbre and a mix of contrasting styles holding it together.

I'm currently listening to the new Wallis Bird CD, New Boots, and my first impression of it is "raucous and unexpected". However, it's too soon to determine whether that's good or bad.