This is an insight into my life: outings and new music!

I went out dancing for the first time this year this weekend. I was so happy to be dancing again, I nearly started sobbing on the dance floor.

A million thanks to my friend, Viper, who helped me glue my wig back on in the bathroom because I was sweating!!!

Usually on goth nights, I take better pictures, and I take pics with friends, but the fit checks were a complete afterthought. I was feeling a 90s and Stevie Nicks vibe with the fit (chunky platforms, and bell-sleeves, mainly). Everything was thrifted, except for my wig.

Spent the next two days recuperating. Finally I rolled out of bed on Sunday, and decided that I wanted to go to the record store. I could not be happier that I did, because I finally found some wishlist CDs.



Let's talk about it.

Around 2 years ago, I started building my CD collection again. Most of the albums I had during my youth have just been lost to time. On the original Myspace, I was very fond of discovering new music via streaming, and I pretty much became of age during the rise of Pandora. I discovered great music through streaming, but in recent years (like many of us), I have wanted to return to more physical media. I am working a bit backwards, and either replacing old CDs, or getting physical copies of music that has been in my libraries for ages (some exceptions!)

Disintegration by The Cure. You know it, you love it. It is a classic, and it's been on my wishlist for quite some time now. I haven't been able to organically find a copy before tonight. This is the 2010 remaster, and it sounds absolutely fabulous. Truly one of the most gorgeous albums of all-time, full of nostalgic, yearning, heart-tugging melodies. This is required listening, always.

Vespertine Live by Bjork. Okay, this is partially fulfilling a wishlist. I have been on the lookout for the studio recording of Vespertine, but who is going to complain about the beautiful live version? Bjork live is a complete theatrical experience, and it's so incredible what she is capable of doing with her voice, or what new life she can bring to her arrangements. This is an original copy, 2002.

Dead Can Dance (self-titled). While this album is also undoubtedly a classic, I did not discover Dead Can Dance until a few years ago! I found this gorgeous mash-up on Youtube, and of course looked further into them. I found The Serpent's Egg a year or so ago, so I am very excited to add this ethereal experience to my physical library. This is an original copy, 1984.

Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos. Definitely a canonical Tori album. A journey into healing, self preservation, and the intricate patterns and textures Tori creates with her piano and voice. After everything that came out NG, I felt drawn to listen to Tori more. I don't know if it's a solidarity thing, but her music has been very helpful in processing my feelings about an author I once adored. This is an original copy, 1991.

Playing the Angel by Depeche Mode. Strap-in, we're getting to the main part of my haul. I'll start by saying that Depeche is one of my favourite bands, if not my favourite band. I cannot remember the first time I heard them, but I was very small, and it was most certainly "Enjoy the Silence." I listened to them here and there throughout the years, but when I was a freshman in college, I sort of re-discovered them, and started listening to them more and more. Playing the Angel was among those albums that got me through many-a mental breakdown that only an overanxious young adult could produce. What makes PtA so special to me, is this is the album that really solidified Dave's essential touch to the band. While I am not an Exciter hater by any means, I do find PtA the definitive transition to who DM are today, post Alan quitting. (Edit: I was writing this thinking that Wilder had actually contributed to Ultra. He did not,  but my opinion still stands) This is their sober, dad era and it means so much to me. This is an original copy, 2005.

Violator by Depeche Mode. Again, an absolute classic. Who would DM be if Martin didn't pick up his guitar one day, and start coming up with these dark, sleazy blues riffs, AND THEN have the chutzpah to lay them over drum machines and synths? Who would I be? I cannot overstate how groundbreaking I find this album, and how much the timeless melodies have just intertwined themselves into my DNA (and I am saying this about an album that isn't even my favourite DM album!) If you have never listened to it in its entirety, again, this is required reading. Violator is The DM album. This is an original copy, 1989-90.

Black Celebration by Depeche Mode. A journey into a gritty, dark 80s that I have never known, but I can absolutely place myself there from the first title track. Thatcher and Reagan are wreaking havoc, but from all of the pain and death rises the wonderful subcultures and communities that still keep us together. I have never known the 80s, but I know the 2020s, and I know that this album is going to be a crutch for the upcoming years of uncertainty and fear. Take care of you and yours, my friends. This is an original copy, 1985-6.

LiVE SPiRiTS Soundtrack by Depeche Mode. This is the last tour with Fletch before he would suddenly die. Depeche Mode are incredible live. A lot of my "rediscovery" period was watching their live performances. Throughout the decades, they've always known how to put on an incredible show. Paired with the incredible sound engineering, and crowd liveliness, it's just enough to be an immersive experience without feeling annoying. YMMV with the crowd participation, and the ad-libs, but I saw DM live myself in 2023 for the MM tour, and I have been nostalgic for that time ever since. This also includes Martin's gorgeous rendition of "Insight" and DM's cover of "Heroes" by David Bowie. I do not think you could ever go wrong with a live DM album. This is an original copy (obviously), 2020.

Congratulations for surviving the DM spam. Have a listen to this track by Funeral in Berlin while you read the rest.

The Queen of the Damned Soundtrack by Jonathan Davies and various artists. First of all, I love that the producers of QotD did not give two fucks about the source material. I am sorry, but I am forever in love with the nu metal approach they took with Lestat. I am a nu metal truther, I apologize. Second of all, this was one of my favourite films as a teen. I love it even more because it has Aaliyah in it, and Anne Rice hated it. RIP to both of them. For as long as this soundtrack has been with me, it only dawned on me this evening that it's odd that Aaliyah did not feature on any of the songs. If you go back to her music, Timbaland produced some pretty dark, moody beats for her, and her voice sounded sublime over those beats. I definitely think that was a missed opportunity; but this was a really busy time of her life, and her self-titled album was in the works. I remember when she died. I was very young, but it was just a punch to the gut to hear that one of your heroes was gone forever.

I apologize for the tangent. This is a very nostalgic album for me. I am also a recovering Marilyn Manson fan (honestly fuck that man), but "Redeemer" is genuinely my favourite track on the album. I wish Davies would have put his version on the album, too. This is an original copy, 2002.

Boys for Pele by Tori Amos. This is actually the only album in this haul that I have not listened to in its entirety! (Or if I did, it's only been once). However, while the world is celebrating Kendrick for dropping the greatest diss track of all time; I must confess that "Caught a Lite Sneeze' is MY "Not Like Us." Apples to oranges, I know. That said, I look forward to sinking my teeth into those gorgeous piano arrangements. (I might still have QotD on the brain). This is an original copy, 1996.

Everybody Got Their Something by Nikka Costa. The first concert I had ever attended was Britney Spears' Dream Within a Dream tour. I was quite young, but I remember it. What's more, I remember the opener for Britney, Nikka Costa. We got this album, and it's been a heavy part of my life ever since. Produced by Mark Ronson, it's just a powerhouse of funk elements and Nikka's incredible voice (if you don't think you know Mark Ronson, yes you do. "Uptown Funk" anyone?). This is one of my childhood albums that I am so happy to bring back. The original copy we had got so scratched. Welcome back home, Nikka. This is an original copy, 2000-1.

And that's all the new pieces for my collection! I had such a great weekend. It's a quarter to 3 on a Monday morning, and I have work in 5 hours, so I better call it here. Thanks for hanging out with me!