This is one of my first records and it might be my favourite. It's another example of how my wife knows me better than I know myself.
I moved to Ottawa on a whim. It turned out to be the best move I ever made, because I met Jamie on Parliament Hill about a month after I got here! But I had left everything behind. I had some savings but no job. While searching for something in my field, I took a temp job at an LCBO warehouse, basically driving around assembling shipments to liquor stores. And listening to music while wearing earplugs. Little Lion Man was on the playlist, I heard that song every shift, or it seemed that way at least, but I can't say I really listened.
So when I unwrapped this album on Christmas morning I kind of knew what to expect, but not really. Because every song on this album is pure. It flows, it speaks, and I wonder whether the band can ever top it. I guess even if they don't they could have still have 10 more great albums (no disrespect intended to Babel, that's a great one as well). If this was a cassette tape I would have worn it out already.
Not only does it take me back to the early days of my relationship, it takes me back to more recent times too. Jamie and I were lucky enough to see the band in concert this past summer. They played an amazing set, they are unbelievably talented, engaged and fun, and they absolutely killed it at Osheaga. And listening to these songs makes me thing of being next to Jay in that crowd, in the moment, wanting to savour it all. It's one of the best shows I've ever seen, and I love that all of that is reproduced on this little piece of black plastic. And I love that Jay knew this one belonged in my collection even before I did.
