Since he lives with me, L. pretty much gets to hear or get CD mixes from me, and is exposed to pretty much most of what I listen to, frequently. So, for the last ten years, for his birthday, rather than getting a CD mix (which is what I used to do before) I 'give' him a song that I deem his, and which I won't use on a mix until the year is up. It's up to him to play it as often or not.
(This, by the way, is not an easy feat, since I tend to almost vomit new songs I discover--or old ones I rediscover--in my anxious desire to have him hear it. So, usually the song is something I find in the last couple of months leading up to his birthday. The split, also, for current songs (anything after 2000) versus anything noncurrent (er, before 2000, obviously) is 6-4, in favor of noncurrent.)
I also get him two or three CDs that I know he will like; i.e. artists, genres that are to his liking, and not always (but usually) mine. I'm pretty happy with this year's choices. (And, for the first time, they're digital downloads of the CDs. I know, welcome to the 21st century.)
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Here is his single song for 2008:
Bruises - Chairlift
The selection below is from the three CDs I bought him: Live and Unplugged, by Jeff Daniels (yes, that Jeff Daniels. It's a pretty decent CD, although there a couple of songs that could be considered non PC, especially one by the big is beautiful supporters, so you've been warned); the new one from Matthew Sweet (he's sort of to L. what Elliott Smith is to me); and a reissue of an old one from Jimmy Buffet, when he still had more of a Nashville influence and less of a "jolly mon" one.
Youll Always Be Older Than Me
