17 July 2009

What's your reading soundtrack?

Fun Friday poll: Do you listen to music while you read? And if so, what kind of music?

I often read with music on, because I like a bit of background noise when I'm working or puttering around. When I'm reading on public transit, adjust that upwards to "almost always." But it has to be music I know well, and at the same time to which I don't have an overwhelming attachment that will distract me out of my book. Old playlists work well. For me this works on almost any book except the densest stuff -- NIXONLAND is a recent example of a book I more or less read in silence for fear of missing something. (Don't let that put you off, it's worth it.)

Here's a jaunty accompaniment for your thoughts from Camera Obscura:

3 comments:

Wade Garrett said...

1) Arcade Fire's Funeral helped get me get through endless law school reading. The National and Jenny Lewis' solo albums have sort of taken over in that regard. Great background music, though they are so much more than that.

2) My (gay) friend Mark, commenting on this video when it first came out: "Even Elton John thinks that guy in the yellow shirt is way too gay." But Camera Obscura

3) That video has some pretty weird dancing, but nothing compares to the video for Tommy Seebach's Apache, whose dancers apparently learned their craft at a six-week YMCA course somewhere in Sweden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFGzGfym-7Y

Ellen said...

WARNING: If you try to read with the "Apache" video on in the background, your book will burst into flames.

Elizabeth said...

No, I can't read while listening to anything, even instrumental music: I'm very bad at multitasking.