A realisation I had at the end of 2021: I missed listening to full albums. In a time when everything is song- and playlist-driven, it felt like something few people did anymore. So whenever I caught up with someone in 2022, I’d ask: “What album do you think I should listen to? Tell me, and I’ll hear it—start to finish.” The responses were great. I also started reading album reviews again for the first time in years. If something was well-reviewed, I’d listen.
It helped that I had a habit of bicycling around my neighbourhood—running errands, taking breaks between meetings while working from home, or catching up on calls. One rule I set for myself: the music had to be foregrounded. If I listened while cooking or deep in work, it wouldn’t count. I’d need to play it again, with my full attention. It made such a difference.
Sometimes, of course, I had a negative reaction to what I was hearing. But instead of stopping, I’d ask myself: “What situation would make this the perfect soundtrack?” If I couldn’t find one, I’d try to imagine someone different, in another part of the world, living a life where this music fit.
Looking back, I see how certain albums, books, and films marked specific moments in my life. I remember the drizzly day biking through Victoria Park, revisiting The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. The Hilton in Seoul, where I started Too Old to Die Young while enduring jetlag. The days spent at home recovering from COVID, reading How to Do Nothing. And the first summer swim at Mahon Pool after finishing How Do You Live?
Along with the music, there were, of course, the requisite shows, movies, and books—some of which led me right back to music. Euphoria stood out for that, as well as Sable, a video game soundtrack by Japanese Breakfast—though I have yet to play the game itself.
On the flip side (the B-side?), there’s always the backlog—the books, albums, shows, and films I’ve yet to start, or started but stalled. Recommendations from friends, things I’ve read about, titles I’ve seen marketed around town. I could say, “So much media, so little time,” but that feels like a cop-out. There seems to be a right time to experience something, to be in the mood for it, as people say. And I get that. I wonder if some things will simply never match my mood, while others I’ll happily re-experience for the nth time. We all have those, don’t we?
Bonus beats
High resolution version posted on Exposure.
Want to listen to the 2022 music playlist? Click in and take a listen.
It certainly is! It took a few weeks this year before I realised I hadn't heard a full album yet and proceeded to do so. I started with something short and it was satisfying. I'm up to a handful now.
I’ve tried more than once to commit to listening to new complete albums… I love it but find it hard to prioritize