The best epiphanies come at surprising moments, like when getting sprayed by an airborne beer up front at a show. It was New Year’s Eve 2012 at The Empty Bottle in Chicago, and on stage, The Marked Men were tearing through “Fix My Brain.” I’d been in a funk from the end of a relationship and a general feeling of detachment from the things that had come to define me, but at the end of 2012, I was trying to do everything to right myself. The Hamm’s still drying on me as I sang along with my friends, I was struck by how life-affirming music can be. I decided to make my first-ever new year’s resolution: In 2013, I would rebuild my connection to music by buying one record a day for the entire year.
Before I could really articulate it, the project had already begun. I made my way to the merch table and bought The Marked Men’s “The Other Side” 7-inch, as well as the Kings Of The Weekend LP from opening act Bad Sports. I walked home covered in sweat and beer, but experiencing a newfound sense of jubilation. Having solidified the goal in my head, I decided to give it a bit of legitimacy by opening my note-taking app and starting a list called “Records: 2013” with the band name, album title, and where I acquired it. Barely hours into the new year, I was riding high from the sense of fulfillment that had seemed missing for most of the preceding year.
The next morning I addressed the necessary pragmatics: Would it be only new records? If so, what would count as “new”? Would it be only new releases, or would used records I didn’t already own count? How often would I need to go to a record store? Should mail order be included? And, perhaps the biggest concern: How much money was I going to spend?
I decided to give myself as much leeway as possible. After all, the goal was to see if I could fall in love with music again, not to fret about rules. I rationalized that the more limitations I placed upon myself, the less I’d get out of it come the end of December, so the goal remained as simple as possible: Given stores would likely be closed on holidays, and the possibility of going to one and not finding anything that caught my eye, buy in batches but make trips as often as possible. I’d mail-order new records from bands and artists I actively followed and save trips to a record store for open-ended browsing. If I flipped through a bin and saw a 7-inch with gripping cover art, or a label I trusted released something by a long-forgotten band, I’d give it a shot. In high school, I would often skip eating in order to have money to buy records, so why not approach this with the same ravenous hunger (but without the malnourishment)?
Days later I attended a record fair that focused on punk and hardcore, and it became clear my project would yield the intended result. Flipping through boxes of obscure 7-inches, I’d bump into friends and discuss the merits of the Charles Bronson Youth Attack! 10-inch I bought before walking over to a table of baked goods with logos of punk bands frosted atop.
Sure, I could have streamed label catalogs and band discographies online, but there was something about the rush of finding a long-sought album in a pile of used records, or having a friend recommend something I never heard, that put any algorithm to shame. With increased frequency, I was reminded how music goes beyond songs pressed into plastic or compressed into computer files—a community and humanity lurks beneath all of that, allowing listeners to feel present with a work and connected to a larger whole at the same time.
As the project progressed, rarely would I leave my apartment without feeling compelled to stop into a record store. In the same way people buy a handful of groceries during a week, I’d stop at the Reckless Records near my apartment without a second thought. During these trips, I often felt the most at peace, flipping through a mass of covers with no discernible goal. With each flick of my fingers across the top of the albums, I’d wonder when something would grab me. In a way, it became therapeutic, disconnecting me from any of the day’s stresses while potentially connecting me to an album that, once I got it home and dropped the needle, would shake me to my core.
That happened repeatedly over the course of 2013. A frenetic, pummeling Water Torture 7-inch, the feedback of Sunn O))), some quality Hall & Oates deep cuts—they helped me shed my adult concerns and be taken with music the same way I was as a kid. It may have been regressive, but treating music with deference instead of an infinite list of clickable links was refreshing in ways I’d almost forgotten.
I hit my target goal in November, and it was alluring to stop at 365 precisely, but that seemed counter to the project’s true intent. So I pressed on with the same enthusiasm I had for those first 11 months, ending 2013 with 395 albums added to my collection: 125 7-inches, 264 12-inches, four 10-inches, one CD, one cassette. In the process I discovered lifelong listening staples (The Ambulars’ Dreamers Asleep At The Wheel) as well as albums I’ll likely revisit rarely (Taylor Swift’s Red), but I learned just how important each type of album is.
Before I could fully process it, both the year and my project were over. On New Year’s Eve, I found myself in another venue (Chicago’s new Concord Music Hall) watching yet another punk band (The Lawrence Arms). I ended 2013 in almost the exact same way as I started it, but not in a stagnant way. During the year I had consumed music voraciously, losing about $4,600 and a lot of valuable shelf space. It was never a chore, but a reminder of the importance of continually engaging with art instead of simply consuming it.
Maybe nothing was missing in the first place, and my willingness to buy an album a day for a year showed I never lost my love of music. But even if I didn’t get very far, seeing as how I was lost in another crowd and getting soaked with another stranger’s beer, I had nearly 400 ways to remember exactly where I’d been.
1. The Marked Men, “On”/“The Other Side” 7-inch
2. Bad Sports,
Kings Of The Weekend 3. Trust Fall,
Work Hard, Play Weird, Stay Kvlt 7-inch
4. American Nightmare
The Sun Isn’t Getting Any Brighter 7-inch
5. Broken Prayer, “Wow”/”Pull A Kaczynski” 7-inch
6. Shoppers/Panzram, split 7-inch
7. The Promise Ring, “Watertown Plank”/“Mineral Point” 7-inch
8. Braid,
Please Drive Faster 7-inch
9. Ruination,
Let The Motherfucker Burn 7-inch shaped like the United States
10. Charles Bronson,
Youth Attack! 10-inch
11. Articles Of Faith,
Complete, Volume Two: 1983-1985 12. Various Artists,
The Decline Of Western Civilization 13. Dag Nasty,
Can I Say 14. Hot Water Music,
No Division 15. Articles Of Faith,
Core 16. Lifetime,
Jersey’s Best Dancers 17. Unbroken,
Life. Love. Regret. 18. Cap’n Jazz,
Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards In The Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We’ve Slipped On And Egg Shells We’ve Tippy Toed Over 19. Texas Is The Reason,
Texas Is The Reason20. Gorilla Biscuits,
Gorilla Biscuits21. Youth Of Today,
Disengage22. Into Another,
Poison Fingers 23. Big Eyes,
Back From The Moon24. Jawbreaker,
Bivouac25. Jawbreaker,
Chesterfield King26. Swearin’,
Swearin’ 27. Big Eyes,
Hard Life 28. Yo Man Go,
Life Lessons 7-inch
29. The Get Up Kids,
Woodson 7-inch
30. The Get Up Kids,
Four Minute Mile31. Gaza,
He Is Never Coming Back32. Dad Punchers,
Dad Punchers 33. Pianos Become The Teeth/Touché Amoré, split 7-inch
34. Mineral,
The Power Of Failing 35. Congenital Death,
From My Hands 7-inch
36. Spazz/Öpstand, split 7-inch
37. John Vanderslice,
Pixel Revolt38. Coliseum,
No Salvation39. Various Artists,
We Are The World 40. Big Eyes/Mean Jeans, split 7-inch
41. The Potential Johns,
The Potential Johns 7-inch
42. Chinese Telephones,
Democracy43. Engineer,
The Dregs44. Nathan Ellis,
Nathan Ellis 7-inch
45. High Tension Wires,
Welcome New Machine46. Ruination/They Live, split 7-inch
47. Voxtrot,
Blood Red Blood 7-inch
48. Jowls,
Cursed49. Run Forever,
Settling50. Modest Mouse,
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank51. Texas Is The Reason,
Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection52. Bongripper,
The Great Barrier Reefer53. Low Culture,
Screens54. White Lung,
Sorry55. Shoppers,
Silver Year56. Joy Division,
Unknown Pleasures57. Bongripper/Hate, split
58. Cloud Rat,
Moksha59. Christian Death,
Only Theatre Of Pain60. Braid/Balance And Composure, split 7-inch
61. The Wonder Years,
Manton Street 7-inch
62. Crime In Stereo,
Love 7-inch
63. Captain, We’re Sinking,
Montreal 7-inch
64. Cursed,
Two65. Slapstick/Tommyrot, split 7-inch
66. Cupid Car Club,
Werewolves! 7-inch
67. C-Clamp,
Passing 7-inch
68. Brave Bird,
Maybe You, No One Else Worth It69. Dikembe/Jet Set Sail/Monument/Hightide Hotel, split 7-inch
70. Low Culture,
Low Culture 7-inch
71. Laura Stevenson,
Runner 7-inch
72. Waxahatchee,
Cerulean Salt 73. The Swarm,
Parasitic Skies74. Acrid,
Sea Of Shit75. Hall & Oates,
Abandoned Luncheonette76. Autre Ne Veut,
Anxiety 77. Primitive Man
, Scorn78. Off With Their Heads,
Home79. Wire,
15480. Tom Waits,
Small Change81. Sam Cooke,
The Best Of Sam Cooke82. Hall & Oates,
Voices83. The Ambulars,
Dreamers Asleep At The Wheel84. Masked Intruder,
Masked Intruder85. Avail,
Front Porch Stories86. Masked Intruder,
First Offense 7-inch
87. Tenement, “Ice Pick”/“Summer Street” 7-inch
88. Tenement,
Taking Everything 7-inch
89. Hall & Oates,
H2O90. Hall & Oates,
Big Bam Boom91. Water Torture,
Shell Fire92. Adolescents.
Brats In Battalions 93. New Order,
Low-Life94. Jesu,
Heart Ache & Dethroned95. Jesu,
Lifeline96. The Jealous Sound,
A Gentle Reminder97. Archers Of Loaf,
All The Nation’s Airports98. Archers Of Loaf,
White Trash Heroes 99. Shores/Creepoid, split 7-inch
100. Acrid/Bombs Of Death, split 7-inch
101. Gunmoll/Annalise, split 7-inch
102. AssholeParade,
Say Goodbye 7-inch
103. The Holy Mountain,
Wrath 7-inch
104. Cheap Tragedies,
Cheap Tragedies 7-inch
105. Stop Breathing,
Stop Breathing106. Gatorface,
Wasted Monuments107. The Holy Mountain,
Here Is No Exit108. Regents,
Antietam Afterparty109. Big Eyes,
Demo 7-inch
110. Whirr,
Pipe Dreams111. Jesu,
Jesu112. Los Crudos/Spitboy, split LP
113. Army Of Ponch,
So Many You Could Never Win114. Army Of Ponch,
Versus The Curse 7-inch
115. Hall & Oates,
Private Eyes116. Hall & Oates,
Whole Oates117. Iron Maiden,
Somewhere In Time118. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers,
Damn The Torpedoes119. The Jazz June,
Breakdance Suburbia 7-inch
120. Restorations,
LP 2121. Tigers Jaw,
Two World122. Tigers Jaw,
Tigers Jaw123. The Postal Service,
Give Up124. Iron Lung,
White Glove Test125. Paint It Black,
Invisible 7-inch
126. Purity Control,
Adjusting 7-inch
127. Mind Spiders,
Sister Series 7-inch
128. Condominium,
Warm Home129. Weezer,
Pinkerton130. Manipulation,
2 7-inch
131. Nails,
Abandon All Life132. Sweet Cobra,
Mercy133. Superchunk, “Void”/“Faith” 7-inch
134. The Repos, “Rejoice In Ruin”/“Haunted Peace” 7-inch
135. Hüsker Dü,
Amusement double 7-inch
136. Condominium,
Pupils 7-inch
137. Condominium,
Barricade 7-inch
138. Kittyhawk,
Kittyhawk139. Their / They’re / There,
Their / They’re / There140. Samiam,
Clumsy141. The Repos,
Live Munitions 142. At The Drive-In,
Relationship Of Command143. Botch,
American Nervoso 144. Braid,
Frame And Canvas 145. Wide Angles,
Smile More146. Hesitation Wounds,
Hesitation Wounds 7-inch
147. Cold Cave,
Oceans With No End 7-inch
148. Coliseum,
Sister Faith149. Coliseum,
Sister Chance 7-inch
150. Laura Stevenson,
Wheel151. Coliseum/Doomriders,
Not Of This World152. Coliseum, “True Quiet”/“Last Wave” 7-inch
153. Mid Carson July,
Turn The Radio Down 7-inch
154. Mid Carson July/The Jazz June, split 7-inch
155. The Replacements,
Songs For Slim156. Shellac,
1000 Hurts157. Joie De Vivre,
The North End 158. Joie De Vivre,
We’re All Better Than This 159. Astronautalis/Rickolus, split 7-inch
160. Loma Prieta/Raein, split 7-inch
161. Cursed,
One162. Signals Midwest/Worship This!, split 7-inch
163. The Exploding Hearts,
Guitar Romantic164. I Spy/…But Alive, split 7-inch
165. Ghostlimb,
Ghostlimb166. Daylight Robbery,
Through The Confusion167. Grey Area,
Fanbelt Algebra168. Built To Spill,
Perfect From Now On169. Career Suicide,
Cherry Beach 7-inch
170. The Specials,
The Specials171. Giant Henry,
Big Baby172. Various Artists,
Stay Sweet Fest Split173. Scoundrel,
Freak Flag174. Pet Symmetry/Dikembe, split 7-inch
175. Noumenon/Loose Lips Sink Ships, split LP
176. The Moms,
Viva! 7-inch
177. Pet Symmetry,
Two Songs About Cars. Two Songs With Long Titles. 7-inch
178. Carcass,
Necroticism – Descanting The Insalubrious179. Condominium,
Carl 7-inch
180. Angry Gods, “Greyed Delay”/“The Swell” 7-inch
181. Highness,
Hold182. Big Eyes,
Almost Famous183. Red Dons,
Ausländer 7-inch
184. Red Dons,
A Forced Turning Point 7-inch
185. Red Dons,
Pariah 7-inch
186. Red Dons,
Fake Meets Failure187. Red Dons,
Death To Idealism188. Manipulation,
1 7-inch
189. Manipulation,
Manipulation190. The Get Up Kids,
Loveteller 7-inch
191. Cloud Mouth/Cougar Den, split 7-inch
192. Water Torture/Sea Of Shit, split 7-inch
193. Astpai,
Efforts And Means194. Astpai,
Heart To Grow195. The Novice,
The Novice 7-inch
196. OBN IIIs,
OBN IIIs 7-inch
197. Park,
No Signal198. Park,
It Won’t Snow Where You’re Going199. Lifted Bells,
Lifted Bells200. The National,
Trouble Will Find Me201. Big Black,
Songs About Fucking202. Watain,
Lawless Darkness203. Deafheaven,
Demo204. Songs: Ohia,
Hecla & Griper205. Converge,
Caring And Killing206. Small Brown Bike,
Recollected207. Deafheaven,
Sunbather208. Knapsack/Stuntman, split 7-inch
209. Knapsack,
True To Form 7-inch
210. Chalk Talk,
The Food Chain 7-inch
211. The Holy Mountain/Cobra Noir, split 7-inch
212. Shellac,
At Action Park 213. Shellac,
Excellent Italian Greyhound 214. Sunn O))),
Monoliths & Dimensions 215. Sunn O))) Meets Nurse With Wound,
The Iron Soul Of Nothing 216. Dikembe,
Chicago Bowls 217. Portrait,
Portrait 10-inch
218. Pet Symmetry,
Five Songs On A Homemade Compact Disc (For A Summer Tour In 2013)219. Sundials,
When I Couldn’t Breathe220. The Exquisites.
The Exquisites 221. Deafheaven/Bosse-De-Nage, split LP
222. Adventures,
Clear My Head With You 7-inch
223. Maguma Taishi,
Maguma Taishi 7-inch
224. Classics Of Love,
Art Of The Underground 7-inch
225. Sundials,
Art Of The Underground 7-inch
226. Dad Punchers,
These Times Weren’t Made For You 7-inch
227. Drug Church, “Party At Dead Man’s”/“Selling Drugs From You Mom’s Condo” 7-inch
228. Cold Cave, “Black Boots”/“Meaningful Life” 7-inch
229. Cold Cave,
A Little Death To Laugh 7-inch
230. Technicolor Teeth,
Sage 7-inch
231. Godflesh,
Godflesh 232. Godflesh,
Streetcleaner233. Raw Nerve,
Raw Nerve234. Andrew Thomson,
Honesty Is A Confidence Problem cassette
235. Young Light,
Great White Arc236. Warren Franklin And The Founding Fathers,
Every Letter And Souvenir237. Crusades,
Parables 7-inch
238. Crusades,
The Sun Is Down And The Night Is Riding In239. Jahbreaker,
Bad Weed, Dealer’s Fault 7-inch
240. Aye Nako,
Unleash Yourself241. Hall & Oates,
Ooh Yeah242. Bad Sports,
Self-Titled243. Various Artists,
New Kids On The Block Compilation 7-inch
244. Sundials,
First Three Songs 7-inch
245. Sundials,
Always Whatever:
A Collection Of Songs From 2009-2012246. The Promise Ring,
Very Emergency247. Shellac,
The Rude Gesture (A Pictorial History) 7-inch
248. Shellac,
Uranus 7-inch
249. New Order,
Movement250. New Order,
Brotherhood251. Texas Is The Reason,
Do You Know Who You Are?252. New Order,
1981-1982253. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die,
Whenever, If Ever254. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die /Self Defense Family/Code Orange Kids/Tigers Jaw, split 7-inch
255. Comadre,
Comadre256. Loma Prieta,
Dark Mountain257. The Replacements,
Hootenanny258. Scratch Acid,
Berserker259. METZ,
METZ260. Swans,
My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky261. Built To Spill,
There Is No Enemy262. True Widow,
Circumambulation263. Old Gray,
An Autobiography264. I Kill Giants,
We Can Live In The Exact Same Place 7-inch
265. Iron Chic,
Spooky Action 7-inch
266. Pity Sex,
Dark World267. Pity Sex,
Feast Of Love268. Cloakroom,
Infinity269. Various Artists,
Mixed Singles 7-inch
270. Carcass,
Heartwork271. Karp/Rye Coalition, split LP
271. Nausea,
Extinction272. Left For Dead,
Left For Dead273. The Sisters Of Mercy,
Floodland274. At The Drive-In/Sunshine, split LP
275. The Replacements,
Don’t Tell A Soul276. Whirr,
Around277. Now, Now,
Threads278. The Lemonheads,
It’s A Shame About Ray279. American War,
Rhetoric280. P.S. Eliot,
Introverted Romance In Our Troubled Minds281. Taylor Swift,
Red282. June Of 44,
Anahata283. Earth,
Phase 3: Thrones And Dominions284. Watain,
The Wild Hunt285. Altar Of Plagues,
Teethed Glory & Injury286. Mk-Ultra,
Discography287. Superchunk,
I Hate Music288. Lemuria,
The Distance Is So Big289. Modern Life Is War,
Fever Hunting290. Dowsing,
I Don’t Even Care Anymore291. Little Big League,
These Are Good People292. State Lines,
For The Boats293. Springtime,
South Hill 7-inch
294. Death Cab For Cutie,
Transatlanticism295. The Anniversary,
Designing A Nervous Breakdown296. The Anniversary,
Your Majesty297. Treepeople/Archers Of Loaf, split 7-inch
298. Tenement/Screaming Females, split 7-inch
299. Old Flings/Break-Ups, split 7-inch
300. Panzram,
A New Mental Disorder For Youth In Disapproval 7-inch
301. Panzram,
Reform 10-inch
302. The Ropes,
Demo II 7-inch
303. Gods Reflex,
Shifting 7-inch
304. Swing Kids,
Situations On Mars 7-inch
305. Radiator Hospital,
Something Wild306. P.S. Eliot,
Sadie307. Cleveland Bound Death Sentence,
Cleveland Bound Death Sentence308. Bad Sports,
Bras309. Technicolor Teeth,
Teenage Pagans310. Toe,
The Book About My Idle Plot On A Vague Anxiety311. Mephiskapheles,
God Bless Satan312. Emperor,
In The Nightside Eclipse313. Chvrches,
The Bones Of What You Believe314. Unwound,
Kid Is Gone315. Curmudgeon,
Amygdala316. Dads,
Pretty Good 7-inch
317. Drug Church,
Paul Walker318. Great Apes,
Threads319. Self Defense Family,
The Corrections Officer In Me320. Doomriders,
Grand Blood321. Radiator Hospital,
Can You Feel My Heart Beating? 7-inch
322. Sandy City,
Nice Hat 7-inch
323. Envy,
Invariable Will, Recurring Ebbs And Flows324. Dessa Sons,
Dessa Sons 7-inch
325. Toe,
For Long Tomorrow326. Mind Spiders,
Inhumanistic327. Swing Kids,
Discography328. Four Fists ,
Four Fists 7-inch
329. J Dilla,
Donuts330. Aus Rotten,
The System Works For Them331. Kevin Devine,
Bulldozer332. Kevin Devine,
Bubblegum333. Drug Church,
Drug Church 7-inch
334. Into It. Over It.,
Intersections335. Kevin Devine,
Split The Country, Split The Street336. The Repos/Spine, split 7-inch
337. Red Dons,
Notes On The Underground 7-inch
338. Jesu,
Everyday I Get Closer To The Light From Which I Came 339. The Cure,
Three Imaginary Boys340. Depeche Mode,
Music For The Masses341. Signals Midwest,
Light On The Lake342. Save Ends,
Warm Hearts, Cold Hands343. Radioactivity,
Radioactivity344. Pelican,
Forever Becoming345. Cloud Rat/Xtra Vomit, split LP
346. Alcest,
Souvenirs D’un Autre Monde 347. A Wilhelm Scream,
Partycrasher348. Crusades,
Perhaps You Deliver This Judgment With Greater Fear Than I Receive It349. Bars Of Gold,
Wheels350. Tiny Empires,
Tiny Empires 7-inch
351. Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves, “How Much Shit Can You Take?”/“Aliens” 7-inch
352. Old Flings/The Fake Boys, split 7-inch
353. Old Flings/Late Bloomer, split 7-inch
354. The Draft, “Stop Wastin’ My Time”/“Up All Night” 7-inch
355. The Jealous Sound,
Kill Them With Kindness356. Swearin’,
Surfing Strange357. Various Artists,
Guided By Voices Tribute 7-inch
358. Kittyhawk/Cherry Cola Champions, split 7-inch
359. Unwound,
Kid Is Gone 7-inch
360. Born Against,
Battle Hymns Of The Race War 361. Cloud Rat,
Cloud Rat362. Bhopal Stiffs,
E.P.A.363. Fake Problems,
How Far Our Bodies Go364. Reggie And The Full Effect,
Greatest Hits ’84-’87365. Tancred,
Tancred366. Their / They’re / There,
Analog Weekend367. Iron Chic,
The Constant One368. Los Crudos,
Canciones Para Liberar Nuestras Fronteras369. The Swarm A.K.A. Knee Deep In The Dead/Force Fed Glass, split 7-inch
370. Affront,
Fallen Stars 7-inch
372. Bad Banana,
Cry About It373. Car Vs. Driver,
Out Of A Silent Sky374. Football, etc.,
The Draft375. Football, etc.,
Audible376. Penfold,
Amateurs & Professionals377. The Reds,
It’s About Time378. Dropdead,
Dropdead379. Dropdead,
Discography380. Slayer,
Reign In Blood381. Slayer,
South Of Heaven382. Slayer,
Seasons In The Abyss383. Atmosphere,
Seven’s Travels384. Self Defense Family,
Try Me385. Self Defense Family,
You Are Beneath Her 7-inch
386. Shook Ones/Death Is Not Glamorous, split 7-inch
387. Acme,
…To Reduce The Choir To One Soloist388. Limp Wrist,
Limp Wrist389. The One Up Downstairs,
The One Up Downstairs 7-inch
390. Touché Amoré,
Is Survived By391. Tenement/Culo, split 7-inch
392. Iron Chic,
Split N’ Shit 7-inch
393. Jawbox,
Jawbox394. Canadian Rifle,
Deep Ends395. Sundowner,
Four One Five Two
