Photo: Sara Kaplan
“When I moved in with my boyfriend, one of the things that I considered to be a very serious decision was what we should do with our record collections. Folklore seemed to say that merging the collections together too soon was a bad idea & that it would lead to eventual heartbreak if the relationship ended. But it also seemed really weird (and sad) to keep them separate. After some quick deliberation, I filed them all together alphabetically (mine sleeved, his without) in our living room.
I discovered something interesting during this process: there are only a few doubles in our combined collection of nearly 500 records. There are exactly six, all of them purchased while we were dating, but before we moved in.
What does this mean? Hidden in the 1% of our records where our buying habits intersect, is there some clue to the foundations of our relationship? Do these six records hold the key to increasing our happiness, solving quarrels or predicting the future? Or are they just popular records we both happen to own through blind chance? (Being a Gemini, Ian Svenonious would probably say that there is some sort of power to be found in doubles, and perhaps the number six or twelve might have some cosmic significance, but I’m a Libra & this isn’t his blog post).
As I listened to these records, I began to think of the types of relationships they might represent. How would the couples embodied by these albums meet? Would they have kids & grow old together or flame out in a fit of passion? Here’s what I imagined:
1. Elliott Smith – XO | Sensitive, corduroyed boy and sensitive, flannel-clad girl share coffee over long silences while it rains outside. Their love runs deep, but so does their emotional baggage. Regardless, I figure they have what it takes to make it through the long haul.
2. Peter Bjorn & John – Let’s Call It Off 7” | She says “Let’s Call it Off!” He says “(I Just Want to) See-Through.” The eternal push and pull of side A versus side B. Their friends just wonder how many times they can flip the record and play it again. Good thing the music is catchy.
3. The Points – S/T | Under a glittering rain of spit beer, love blossoms. When they break up, he cuts her head out of all their old pictures. Then they get back together. And break up again.
4. The Raveonettes – Lust, Lust, Lust | Kohl eyeliner and skinny jeans are virtually all that they share in common. Luckily, their relationship isn’t based on conversation.
5. Vivian Girls – S/T | He knows what she knows, he feels what she feels. Unfortunately, all that is fleeting & it doesn’t end well.
6. Title Tracks – Every Little Bit Hurts 7” | Love hurts. They meet at St. Stephens when she gets caught in the undertow of an impromptu mosh pit & he helps her up. Her mom gives him a ride home. They make plans to meet again at Comet Ping Pong on Friday night:“
Holly plays bass & sings in Black Telephone with her boyfriend, Tom and their friend Rory. Find them at their Official Website and Facebook and at Comet Ping Pong this Friday night (8/20) with The Paul Collins Beat, Title Tracks, and Mother’s Children.
Black Telephone – What Am I Gonna Do (Mp3)
Black Telephone – Evelyn (Mp3)
Authorized for download!
