Desert Island What???

Ipods are taking over, and before long, the desert-island-discs concept will become obsolete. Or maybe it will be a desert-island-list-of-mp3s-that-will-fit-onto-your-300GB-player...but until then, I thought I would make my one and only list of the ten albums I'd want to be stuck with on an island. In no particular order...

1. Beck: Sea Change
The most beautiful music I have heard. Of course, being stranded on an island might put these emotionally-distraught-because-of-failed-relationship songs in perspective.



2. Arcade Fire: Funeral
The amazing arrangements will remind me of complicated civilization. Some nights I'll cry; some nights I'll celebrate.



3. Def Leppard: Adrenalize
I considered the best-selling Hysteria, the early rockin' On Through the Night, and even Vault, their greatest hits. But the truth is I know all the words to this album. I'd love to shout out, "Don't call me gigolo, don't call me Casanova. Just call me on the phone and baby come on over...when you need someone...when you need someone to...make love...like a man! I'm a man; that's what I am, yeah!"

4. Camille: Le Fil
This will satisfy not only my French fix, but also my faux-tribal one. I'll probably listen to this next to the bonfire. I'm not sure I can start a fire in the wild, though. I'll probably die before I finish this album.


5. Queen: A Night at the Opera
I was considering the cheesier The Game, which has potential roleplaying tracks like "Dragon Attack" and practical desert-island tracks like "Don't Try Suicide." But I'm willing to forego those for "The Prophets' Song" and "Bohemian Rhapsody."


6. Teenage Fanclub: Songs from Northern Britain
Songs for every occasion! Getting used to the new life: "Start Again." Feeling good about my situation: "I Don't Care." Hiking and Killing Time: "Take the Long Way Round." Bearing winter: "Winter." Accidentally burning down the forest: "Can't Feel My Soul." Hey, "It's a Bad World."

7. Al Green: Let's Stay Together
Even when no one else is around to appreciate it, I'll still need to boogie. Hmm. Don't think too hard about that.



8. The Stills: Logic Will Break Your Heart
And mogic will break my fart. I have nothing to say about this because I think it's pretty self-explanatory.



9. Talking Heads: Sand in the Vaseline
Ah, here I demonstrate my propensity for cheating by including this double-disc compilation.




10. Erasure: Pop! The First 20 Hits
Now that I've already cheated, I don't feel bad about including another greatest hits album. I was reviewing my list and noticed a lack of great dancing albums...so this one's it.


I would also be tempted to sneak in an Enya album, any of which is great for pretending you're lost on Middle Earth...