Left of the iPod

So my cubicle neighbor at work, whose previous musical tastes were heavy on reggaeton and Kelly Clarkson, has now discovered rock music. Or, more specifically, she has discovered crappy post-grunge. As a result, my day is now set to a soundtrack of Creed, Staind, and Nickelback. Lots of Nickelback.

A few years ago, I put together an iTunes playlist called "Antidote," the idea being that whenever I had to spend time in a bar or a store or a vehicle where I would be subjected to music that I found unbearable, I could later listen to some left-of-center artists to counteract any ill effects caused by exposure to Scott Stapp or Fergie. Yes, it was elitist and snobby, and my idea of what constituted an underground artist hasn't aged well (hey, has anyone heard of this Arcade Fire band?). But these past few days, it's come in really handy.