I have been working from home since 1996. That adds up to a lot of hours each week alone with my computer. Don’t worry—I have managed to maintain an active social life too.
Music has been a constant part of my workdays. Some people find it distracting, and sometimes I do too. It depends on the volume and how much concentration the work requires. But running a business also involves plenty of tasks that leave enough mental space for music.
Some of the music I love most is music I have rarely discussed with anyone. The Old 97’s are a good example. I tend to assume everyone should enjoy them, yet I am not sure I have ever had a real conversation with a friend about the band. I have not even seen them in concert—at least not yet.
“Jagged,” from their 1994 debut album Hitchhike to Rhome, captures what I like about them. It has the rough edges of early alternative country: a loose, lived-in performance, Rhett Miller’s expressive voice and a melody that sounds immediately familiar without feeling generic. It is country music with a rock band’s nervous energy.
I first heard “Jagged” in the early 2000s. More than 20 years later, it still turns up in my office at least once a week through various Spotify playlists. A song that survives that much repetition has earned its place here.
Give it a listen. And perhaps I should finally go see the Old 97’s in concert.