I purchased a CD this weekend with a gift certificate I had on the suggestion of a much esteemed source, thinking that if his music criticism were as good as his art criticism, it was a sure thing.
I had not been familiar with Teenage Fan Club before, hearing their name maybe once or twice in conversation with some friends much more knowledgeable with music and I am but never often enough to merit investigation. After purchasing their greatest hits compilation, Four Thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty Six Seconds,. I listened to it over the past few days. The songs at first had a very eclectic sound, a bit of folk, a bit of grunge, a bit of rock, but on closer listening you could hear that they all had a similar sound in common. I tried to come up with some bands they sounded like and came up with a few: The Thorns, The Byrds, The Traveling Wilburys, etc. I was upset at thinking of The Thorns because I hate them, finding them trite and hackneyed. But this sound is much more enthusiastic and positive.
I am happy.
I also got the Death Cab for Cutie CD and a Sarah McLachlan CD, just because I was feeling too masculine.