1. “You’re Innocent When You Dream” by Tom Waits. He’s the voice of American music for me, and there’s something so raggedly melancholy about everything he does. I’m starting to think about possible theatre productions for next year, and I keep hearing his voice.

 

2. “Teardrop” by Massive Attack. I could listen to this song over and over and over again. We used a folk version of it in last year’s production of “Ballad of the Sad Cafe,” and the song still kicks my ass.

 

3. “Killing in the Name of” by Rage Against the Machine. Rage is better than coffee in the morning.

 

4. “Jealous Guy” sung by Jimmy Scott. He’s an extraordinary singer. He had some glandular issue as a child and his voice never fully dropped, so his sound is so unique and haunting. Perfect lonely and/or rainy day music.

 

“Hardcore History” by Dan Carlin. Not a song, but a 12 hour podcast obsessively detailing World War I.  For some reason I find the number of shells fired on an April day in 1915 oddly compelling. I’m about halfway through the war—don’t tell me how it ends!