Album 365: Listening to an album a day.

I got this idea from somebody on a forum I used to frequent.  What's funny is that the forum's main subject was a text-based football simulation game I have loved to play since 1998.  Strange how worlds collide.

The idea is pretty simple:  Listen to 1 album a day for a year.

It's quite an undertaking but when I sit back and think about it, it's not too daunting of a task.  I grew up with albums (records or whatever you wish to call them) and still appreciate the art form of the long play.  In this age of downloadable singles, a person can lose sight of what an album represents.  It's a piece of art that was meant to be listened to as a whole (at least in my enchanted view of music).  I've always complained that there isn't a portable music device that has enough storage to hold all my albums.  I usually pick a band's song and listen to the album associated with it.  You sit through the sleepers and are rewarded with the deep cuts.  It's a give and take that has kept me interested in music listening for the last 33 years.

I've come up with a few 'house rules' or guidelines for this adventure.  It'd be foolish to not catalog the feelings and thoughts that come with each spin (or click as I'll probably be listening through my phone, computer or iPod).

• Can't repeat any albums in the course of the year. 
• Any extra listening I do on a given day can't count for blog entries later on.  
• I'll post band, album title, date of listen along with brief notes about the record. It's not going to be a full review...just a few comments about the selection.  
• While I dig EPs, I have enough albums in my collection that will probably allow me to skip over the shorter releases.  Unless I'm really inspired by it, I won't be selecting EPs, greatest hits, compilations or tribute albums.
• I'm going to try to not listen to the same band 2 days in a row.  That might be a challenge but it also may lead me to explore bands I haven't listened to before.  I actually have things in my collection I haven't played.  
• The album doesn't have to be listened to in one sitting but I will try to do that.  It's more fun to do that and allow yourself to concentrate on the whole of the record. 
• Have fun and don't think of it as a chore. 

I hope to start this tomorrow.  The worst thing about starting this task is that I get sidetracked really easy.  I also tend to get lazy with things I don't HAVE to do.  If I don't start tomorrow, I will start by the end of this week.  From there, it should be a long, strange trip (I won't be wasting my time with Greatful Dead albums).