Fewer Resolutions, But More Resolute

After giving it some thought, I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions.

Looking back at last year’s list, my results were typically mixed. I vowed to play my guitars more often. At times, I did. I also went weeks on end without taking one out of the case. I had hoped to spend less money on music. I may have achieved this one, but the difference between 2007 and 2006 likely was negligible. Thankfully, I didn’t keep a record of my expenditures. The total would still be shocking, and maybe even a bit depressing. I aimed to be more positive last year, and to some degree I had a better outlook. I tended to review discs that I enjoyed, writing about music that made me happy. If I didn’t have anything nice to say, I generally didn’t say anything at all. Embracing technology also was on last year’s list. I still don’t own an iPod (and still don’t really care to), but I’ll readily admit to using iTunes on the home computer. It makes compiling mixes too easy to pass up. I also wanted to learn more about the history of music, and I figured one of the easiest ways to do so was to read one artist biography a day on allmusic.com. I fell well short of that goal, but still spent a fair amount of time parked at All Music Guide and other Web sites. I also managed to read good books about The Band, Townes Van Zandt, and guitarist Lenny Breau, among others.

I could just take those resolutions and carry them over to this year, but I’m not interested in a “to do” list that long. They still are worthwhile goals, but I’ll settle for just doing my best, in all that I do, wherever this year takes me.

There is one resolution that I’ll renew: Spending less time (and money) buying music, and more time enjoying it. We’re only two and a half weeks into 2008, but so far I’ve been taking this one to heart. There have been few new releases of note, and that has helped. (Though that will change when the Drive-By Truckers drop “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark” on Tuesday).

I have felt compelled to spend, but for an entirely unexpected reason. January brought with it a bit of bad news: My favorite vinyl shop, Orpheus Records in Arlington, Va., lost its lease and will be going out of business by April 1 barring a month-to-month arrangement with the landlord. I’ve seen a lot of record stores go under, and I always feel a little guilty about showing up to take advantage of the reduced prices. Maybe if I had stopped in a little more often, I tell myself, this wouldn’t be happening.

I spent some time flipping through the bins at Orpheus, picking up a few albums and making plans to check back on a few others when the discounts got deeper. One find that went home with me that day, though, was a copy of Lyle Lovett’s debut album. For $7, there was no way I was risking it not being there the next time around.

I’m glad I made the purchase.

At home, I took the album out of the jacket and placed it on the turntable. It didn’t look like it had been played more than once or twice. The needle settled into the groove, and pure bliss followed. The volume was probably turned up a little too loud, but there was no turning it down. From my easy chair, it sounded like I was sitting in the studio with Lyle when these tracks were cut more than twenty years ago. I’d previously only heard “Lyle Lovett” on CD, and always had liked the disc, but I’d never heard the songs sound quite as warm and inviting. Maybe if you played this album for me in the MP3 format I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. But there is a difference. Part of it is scientific. Another part of it is psychological, which still is significant. Our perception is our reality.

In any event, it was over too soon. I got lost in “Cowboy Man” and “This Old Porch,” and before I knew it Lyle was finishing up “Closing Time.” For 35 minutes or so I was taken back to my teens, when I had the luxury of cueing up an album and listening from start to finish and little else with which I needed to be concerned. I had nothing but time. I’ve got a lot less time now, but I’m hoping to make more of it. For a few dollars, I had one of my most enjoyable listening experiences in a few years. I’m looking forward to repeating it.