MOG

one of the first albums i ever bought was R.E.M's Automatic for the people (specifically i think it was the fourth or fifth). honestly i dont know why. i mean i love r.e.m. but i dont think i was particularly jones'n for some mike mills at the time. i remember the day i picked it up. i walked into this small record store (the only one in my town at the time) called "sounds great" its run by this tight-lipped grumpy guy probably in his late 40's or 50's, who has been hardened by punks trying to steal cds. i dont understand how hes still doing business, i dont know anyone who still goes there. im afraid that it will be wiped out by the new borders thats being put in this month. but anyways, my first five or so albums i ever bought were from this little hut. i was so excited when i purchased a cd that i kept the receipt and put it in the cd sleeve. i guess for memorabilia. ive only done this when i buy cd's from _this_ store. its probably weird that i did that, but sure enough, every time i flip through those cds i always stare at the receipts. i hold them. i read them.

i cant leave the store without buying something, not so much because he's got a great selection, but because i kinda feel bad for the guy. but now that i think about it, the albums i purchased there always made an impact on me. dntel's "life is full of possibilities" introduced me to james tamborello. the copy of metallica's "ride the lightning" that my friend mike borrowed from me a week after i bought it and i havent seen it since (he's in iraq right now, come home safe buddy). i remember buying "automatic for the people" mainly for the song "man on the moon" but soon discovered how fantastic an album it is. which brings me to the reason for this post. lol, what a tangent! so im seeing rogue wave on the 16th, and i keep pretty up to date on stuff that theyre a part of. the newest being a cover song on stereogum's tribute to the album "automatic for the people." rogue wave did "the sidewinder sleeps tonite" which quickly became my favorite song on the original. every song is covered by a different artist... and did i mention ITS ALL FREE! god i love free music. so do yourself a freakin favor and go here to listen/download/love this album all over again like i did.

http://www.stereogum.com/drivexv/