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They say “7” is the perfect number. These seven albums were the soundtrack to my 2008. These are the songs, when listened to in future years, which will bring flooding back images of my trip to Switzerland and the south of France. These are the records that will memorialize the roller coaster emotional journey of trying to establish our local band in the Richmond music scene. These albums were my drug of choice, the antidote to depression that matched my emotional blood type. These were my musical friends who gave me the greatest gift — they made me feel.

The midwife to my cathartic journey with these albums was my friend and bandmate Matt Klimas, of Lagomorph fame. All but a couple of these albums came to me through his studied recommendation. Far wiser than any genius widget or genome project, he casually prescribed for me what he knew I would grow to love. This is how the gods intended their viral melodies to spread.

In no particular order:

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

Winter. Snowed in. Stillness. You are discovering yourself again. You are remembering what it feels like to hear your own thoughts. You exist.

Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes

Nostalgia. Family movies. Everyone looks so happy. Maybe life isn’t so bad afterall.

Deerhunter – Microcastle

Dark. I have a sinister side. I have an underbelly to my soul. I will disappoint you.

Headlights – Some Racing, Some Stopping

Driving. Strangely happy all of a sudden. Windows down. With friends. No one speaking. Just driving.

Nada Surf – Lucky

Familiar. Like a Bond movie. No surprises. Dependable. More of what you love and have come to expect. You don’t want surprises here. Familiarity breeds respect.

Radiohead – In Rainbows

Transcendent. Our Beatles. Never satisfied, like us. Better than us.

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

I wish it were the 60s, I wish I could be happy, I wish, I wish, I wish that something would happen.

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