Or: Albums Wot I Listened to Incessantly While Writing the Trilogy in the Belfry, 1996-2004. It’s by no means a complete list, as I’ve left out a ton of albums that didn’t get nearly as much play but may have shown up in heavy rotation for a shorter time. I also didn’t list the albums that popped up during the revision years, which would probably be another long list in itself.

I’ve put them in semi-chronological order of release. These are still some of my favorite albums; I would highly suggest checking many of them out, perhaps finding a copy or two for your collection if you don’t have them already. It’s a wide mix; there’s electronica, alternative metal, alternative rock, and even a classical album or two. A lot of these albums still pop up on rotation when I’m working.

To be honest, it does feel kind of odd to finally be listening to a different style of music for my latest project. [Meet the Lidwells! is full of power-pop goodness, so there’s a lot of Matthew Sweet and Fountains of Wayne involved, and a lot of listening to The Power Pop Show on KSCU.]  But I highly doubt I’ll stop listening to Fantastic Planet or Sea Change any time soon…

Pre-1996 Albums
(These are albums that I listened to during the writing of The Phoenix Effect or the Trilogy with a much older release date. I either did not pick them up until years later, or they’re classic go-to albums for writing sessions.)

U2, The Joshua Tree (1987)
The Cure, Disintegration (1989)
Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Xymox, Twist of Shadows (1989)
Jesus Jones, Doubt (1991)
My Bloody Valentine, Loveless (1991)
Primal Scream, Screamadelica (1991)
U2, Achtung Baby (1991)
The Cure, Wish (1992)
Curve, Cuckoo (1993)
Jesus Jones, Perverse (1993)
U2, Zooropa (1993)
Alice in Chains, Jar of Flies EP (1994)
Bush, Sixteen Stone (1994)
Global Communication, 76:14 (1994)
Live, Throwing Copper (1994)
Nine Inch Nails, The Downward Spiral (1994)
Portishead, Dummy (1994)
Seal, Seal(2) (1994)
Soundgarden, Superunknown (1994)
Richard Eihorn, comp. Voices of Light
Garbage, Garbage (1995)
Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, brainbloodvolume (1995)
Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
Porcupine Tree, The Sky Moves Sideways (1995)
Radiohead, The Bends, (1995)
Soundtrack, Strange Days (1995)
Spacehog, Resident Alien (1995)
Various Artists, Celtic Voices: Women of Song (1995)
Various Artists, Help: A Charity Project for the Children of Bosnia (1995)
Various Artists, Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon (1995)

1996
Cake, Fashion Nugget
Chimera, Earth Loop
DJ Shadow, Endtroducing…
Duncan Sheik, Duncan Sheik
Failure, Fantastic Planet
Hooverphonic, A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular
Kula Shaker, K
Lamb, Lamb
Republica, Republica
Sneaker Pimps, Becoming X
Soundtrack, Riverdance: Music from the Show
Tricky, Pre-Millennium Tension
The Verve Pipe, Villains

1997
Blur, Blur
Jonatha Brooke, 10¢ Wings
David Bowie, Earthling
The Chemical Brothers, Dig Your Own Hole
Days of the New, Days of the New
Depeche Mode, Ultra
Dubstar, Goodbye
Information Society, Don’t Be Afraid
Jamiroquai, Traveling Without Moving
Mansun, Attack of the Grey Lantern
Mono, Formica Blues
The Offspring, Ixnay on the Hombre
Our Lady Peace, Clumsy
Radiohead, OK Computer
Shaï nO Shaï, Human Condition
Silverchair, Freak Show
Roni Size/Reprazent, New Forms
Smashmouth, Fush Yu Mang
Soundtrack, Joyride
U2, Pop
Various Artists, Invocation
Various Artists, Urbal Beats: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music

1998
Air, Moon Safari
Belle & Sebastian, The Boy with the Arab Strap
Dishwalla, And You Think You Know What Life’s About
Francis Dunnery, Let’s Go Do What Happens
The Fireman, Rushes
Global Communication, Pentamerous Metamorphosis
God Lives Underwater, Life in the So-Called Space Age
Hooverphonic, Blue Wonder Power Milk
Mansun, Six
Massive Attack, Mezzanine
The Offspring, Americana
Pearl Jam, Yield
Rasputina, How We Quit the Forest
Soundtrack, Great Expectations
Soundtrack, The X-Files
Superdrag, Head Trip in Every Key
theaudience, theaudience
UNKLE, Psyence Fiction
Various Artists, For the Masses: Depeche Mode Tribute
Various Artists, Into the Blue: 36 Atmospheric Tracks
VAST, Visual Audio Sensory Theater

1999
Days of the New, Days of the New II
Electronic, Twisted Tenderness
Lamb, Fear of Fours
Moby, Play
Porcupine Tree, Stupid Dream
Sigur Rós, Ágætis Byrjun
Skunk Anansie, Post Orgasmic Chill
Smash Mouth, Astro Lounge
Soundtrack, The Matrix
Supergrass, Supergrass
Tin Star, The Thrill Kisser
Travis, The Man Who
Ultrasound, Everything Picture

2000
Air, The Virgin Suicides
Blur, The Best of Blur
BT, Movement in Still Life
The Dandy Warhols, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
Doves, Lost Souls
Hooverphonic, The Magnificent Tree
Mansun, Little Kix
Poe, Haunted
Porcupine Tree, Lightbulb Sun
Radiohead, Kid A
Soundtrack, Titan AE
U2, All That You Can’t Leave Behind
Various Artists, Dreamworld: Essential Late Night Listening
VAST, Music for People

2001
Bis, Return to Central
Dead Can Dance, Dead Can Dance 1981-1998 (box set)
Duncan Sheik, Phantom Moon
Gorillaz, Gorillaz
Lamb, What Sound
Low, Things We Lost in the Fire
Our Lady Peace, Spiritual Machines
POD, Satellite
Radiohead, Amnesiac
Sing-Sing, The Joy of Sing-Sing
Skindive, Skindive
Tricky, Blowback

2002
Craig Armstrong, As If to Nothing
Beck, Sea Change
Boards of Canada, Geogaddi
Coldplay, A Rush of Blood to the Head
Conjure One, Conjure One
Cornelius, Point
Dishwalla, Opaline
Doves, The Last Broadcast
Godspeed You Black Emperor! Yanqui UXO
Hooverphonic, Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane
Interpol, Turn On the Bright Lights
Oasis, Heathen Chemistry
Porcupine Tree, In Absentia
Porcupine Tree, Stars Die: The Delerium Years ’91-’97
Sigur Rós, ()
Silverchair, Diorama
Soundtrack, The Mothman Prophecies
Spock’s Beard, Snow
Spoon, Kill the Moonlight

2003
+/-, Holding Patterns EP
Kelli Ali, Tigermouth
Ambulance LTD, Ambulance LTD EP
Blue Man Group, The Complex
Cave In, Antenna
Deftones, Deftones
Rob Dougan, Furious Angels
Elbow, Cast of Thousands
Goldfrapp, Black Cherry
Jet, Get Born
Lamb, Between Darkness and Wonder
Linkin Park, Meteora
Massive Attack, 100th Window
Placebo, Sleeping with Ghosts
Puffy AmiYumi, Nice
Radiohead, Hail to the Thief
UNKLE, Never, Never Land
Various Artists, Live Forever
Wire, Send

2004
Air, Talkie Walkie
The Cure, The Cure
Green Day, American Idiot
Junkie XL, Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin
Lamb, Best Kept Secrets: The Best of Lamb 1996 – 2004
Porcupine Tree, the numerous remaster/reissues from that year
Slowdive, Catch the Breeze
Tears for Fears, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending
TV On the Radio, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
Tweaker, 2am Wakeup Call
U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
U2, The Complete U2 (iTunes set)
West Indian Girl, West Indian Girl

NOTE: These are all official releases and nearly all of them can be found easily at your local retailer or online.  There’s a few import-only releases in there, but they should still be easy to find.