This is about the time I traded Tom Waits for an Aqua album…

Possibly completely ridiculous on both ends, yet somehow the respective recipient and I were needing of what the other had, and a mutual accord was struck.

I’ve rarely been into straight pop music, aside from New Kids on the Block when I was like, way too young to be into NKOTB, but this was on my boombox in ’97. Maybe I appreciated the inherent Euro-pop sound quality it carried, or perhaps I just really liked the overt hoe nature of “Barbie Girl.” It was fun to skate to, rave to, and really just give me an opportunity to feel normal girly when that’s not been my forte ever. I’m not sure. Either way, it’s not just a dumb bubblegum record to me. I love it and it carries a ton of cool memories during the incredible awkwardness that is adolescence.

My collection doesn’t bear much of this type of album; in fact, this might actually be the only record I got like it. Needless to say, I have endless Tom Waits, and can easily access the one I bartered away back into my possession again. I’m not worried and this might be my favorite one to date, not because of the content, but simply because of the story behind the exchange. Plus, my daughter loves it. But she’s also six going on sixteen and the teeny-bopper sound seems to sing to her in ways my punk soul rarely understood aside from this spin.

This is the vinyl community, what makes it great, and I have a deep love, respect, and appreciation for it. Thanks for the letter, homie. (You know who you are, and I will tag ya with consent…) It’s special and will forever travel within the confines of this LP’s gatefold.

@siliconeandvinyl