Soundtrack of My Life

Pavlov’s dog wasn’t the only one stimulated by a particular sound. Humans are like that too, and I’m no exception. It’s actually very good, taking a trip down the memory lane or an emotional roller coaster all of the sudden every time I listen to a certain song from my album collection. And these are the ones that evoke the greatest memories of all:

What’s the Story Morning Glory – Oasis
Oasis was my savior going through my unpleasant junior school life. It may sound like an overstatement, but Oasis’ songs were the ones that enabled me to travel to dreamland for a while when the going got tough. Just like Björk, Oasis reminds me of the cold and rainy afternoon after school, when I got home tuning to MTV.
FAVORITE SONG: “Roll with It” (my favorite used to be “Wonderwall”, but I’d listened to it too many times I got sick of it)

Ultra – Ultra
In case you’re wondering what, or who, Ultra was, it was a one-hit-wonder band which only produced one album (which was quite decent) during their short career. Listening to their songs bring the 1998 World Cup in France to mind because, well, their first single became a big hit in summer 1998 (or to put it more accurately, on June 1998, since we don’t have summer in Indonesia). The album also marked my monumental first year in high school and the lab-turned-classroom where we--class 1-9--belonged (plus the spooky story and the cute human skeleton we had).
FAVORITE SONG: “Say You Do”

Performance and Cocktails - Stereophonics
Cram school, the trip to and from the place, and college entry exam preparation are those that come to mind whenever I hear this album. I bought the album some time in May or June 2001 and naturally, played it again and again for a couple of months following it. I was taking the college entry exam on July, so I listened to the album a lot while studying. You figure the connection.
FAVORITE SONG: “Just Looking”

The Man Who - Travis
The Man Who triggers a feeling of “aloneness” in me. I feel as if I’m the only one in the world, but I’m not lonely because at the time, nobody matters but me.
FAVORITE SONG: “Turn”

OK Computer – Radiohead
I couldn’t help myself relating OK Computer with helplessness and disappointment in the way the world works. It’s not the limping feeling which makes you feel like committed suicide or something destructive like that. On the contrary, it gives you the drive to not become a lame, boring person like most members of the general population. One might think I’m overanalyzing things, but I’m not. I don’t think about it, I feel it.
FAVORITE SONG: “Let Down”

By the way, if any of you have that high tech thingy which can convert magnetic tape records to digital files, I’d love to borrow it. All my highly treasured albums are on cassette formats, because I couldn’t afford CDs back then. Pretty please?