Groovy Tunes

Yesterday I was doing my daily commute, listening to my iPod Mini (mine is blue, not pink like the one at right). For some reason I had left off the shuffle function, which is the regular state for me (ScottE cringes at the thought).

So instead of shuffling around, my Mini went in alphabetical order by the artist's first name. And here's pretty much what came up over the course of a day's commute:

• 10,000 Maniacs (Which I should file under Natalie Merchant, because who can actually name one of the other 9,999?)
• ABBA (Because an iPod without "Dancing Queen" is a disgrace.)
• Aimee Mann (For the moody/melancholy times.)
• Alanis Morissette (Hey, she was extremely cool once.)
• Alicia Keys (For my inner sistah.)
• Amy Ray (One half of my favorite group, the Indigo Girls.)
• The Andrews Sisters (Because I'm 85 years old.)
• Aretha Franklin ('Nuff said.)

What struck me as I took this aural journey was that I listen to almost entirely female artists. That's not shocking - just an observation. Always have preferred them, reinforced during my Lilith Fair days. And even the male artists or groups that I listen to are still pretty gay-centric - ABBA, George Michael, Marvin Gaye...

As long as I'm sharing, here's a list of the CDs I've purchased recently. These choices may not mark me as the biggest 'mo on Earth, but I'm sure I'd be in the running:

• Fiona Apple, Extraodinary Machine (Used to be a big fan, this is a return to her good stuff.)
• Duncan Sheik, White Limousine (My music boyfriend, I devour every moody album he puts out.)
• Bright Lights, Big City soundtrack (A studio recording for an upcoming off-Broadway show that I think will be awesome.)
• Once Upon A Mattress original cast album (I admit I saw the TV version recently with Tracey Ullman and Carol Burnett, so I thought it was worth hearing the original.)
• Anuna, Essential Anuna (I have this thing for Irish music, particularly if it's of the choral variety. This group has fit the bill for me, and a collection seemed in order.)
• Patty Griffin, Impossible Dream (One of the best female singer/songwriters of our generation to never become a household name.)

I guess there isn't a real point to this post, other than to share what I listen to. What are your favorites? Do you ever come across something in your collection that makes you say, "Wow, I'm into THAT?"

Coming up on TV tonight, the next episode of The Amazing Race, in which we ask the question - when Eric and Jeremy land on the mat first again, which of us can groan the loudest?