This is so beautiful. I have really strong memories of when this album first came out, and the associations are with the end of my academic career. Sad Professor cut a little deep for where I was at that point.
This is so evocative. Thank you. I adore and miss R.E.M. but not enough for them to reunite. The album that got me, now and forever, is Automatic for the People. Up is underrated.
Whenever I read descriptions of people going record shopping in the 90's, it feels cozy for some reason. I was in middle school when Up came out, had no reference to REM outside of MTV playing Losing My Religion non-stop. Lotus was captivating and today thanks to your piece I listened to Walk Unafraid for the first time, it shoul've been a single!
Someone restacked your "Christmas Wrapping" post, which I enjoyed, but as I perused your other posts, I found this one and had to comment. I wrote a similar article about "Up" a few weeks ago:
I appreciated the associations you noted with your college experience, of being far away and dealing with those emotional complications. In my write-up, I talk about "Daysleeper" and my experience sending a bootleg copy of it to my girlfriend, who at the time was all alone, 600 miles from home in her first year of college. We didn't stay together long enough, or have a meaningful enough relationship, to delve into how she felt being all alone, but reading your post provided a bit of a window into that existence, and I thought it was an interesting tie-in to what I wrote about "Daysleeper" and the album as a whole.
Wow I can't wait to revisit this album after reading this. I think we are about the same age 🙂 I totally forgot about "Walk Unafraid" -- used to love it so much too! Agree with "drowsy" sound description of Daysleeper, as well...
This is so beautiful. I have really strong memories of when this album first came out, and the associations are with the end of my academic career. Sad Professor cut a little deep for where I was at that point.
The record is really grappling with so many different kinds of loss. <3
This is so evocative. Thank you. I adore and miss R.E.M. but not enough for them to reunite. The album that got me, now and forever, is Automatic for the People. Up is underrated.
thank you -- i agree!
I have to cue up The Dismemberment Plan's "The Ice Of Boston" after reading this (and after being there just yesterday!). Beautiful read, thank you.
I 100% saw the Dismemberment Plan play that song IN Cambridge at the Middle East several times. (Including on the tour with DCFC!) The best!
Whenever I read descriptions of people going record shopping in the 90's, it feels cozy for some reason. I was in middle school when Up came out, had no reference to REM outside of MTV playing Losing My Religion non-stop. Lotus was captivating and today thanks to your piece I listened to Walk Unafraid for the first time, it shoul've been a single!
Someone restacked your "Christmas Wrapping" post, which I enjoyed, but as I perused your other posts, I found this one and had to comment. I wrote a similar article about "Up" a few weeks ago:
https://chartchat.substack.com/p/getting-down-to-revisiting-up
I appreciated the associations you noted with your college experience, of being far away and dealing with those emotional complications. In my write-up, I talk about "Daysleeper" and my experience sending a bootleg copy of it to my girlfriend, who at the time was all alone, 600 miles from home in her first year of college. We didn't stay together long enough, or have a meaningful enough relationship, to delve into how she felt being all alone, but reading your post provided a bit of a window into that existence, and I thought it was an interesting tie-in to what I wrote about "Daysleeper" and the album as a whole.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Wow I can't wait to revisit this album after reading this. I think we are about the same age 🙂 I totally forgot about "Walk Unafraid" -- used to love it so much too! Agree with "drowsy" sound description of Daysleeper, as well...