i always feel bad about liking the counting crows as much as i do. i blame that all on shelley. she was my roommate the year i was 22. she hated the counting crows with a passion. she would make fun of them mercilessly whenever that song “around here” came on the radio– we lived in eau claire, wisconsin, so it was on a lot.

it took me many, many months to finally confess my deep-seated like of them. one day, i just blurted out, “you know, i really kind of like these guys.” she was horrified. our relationship was never quite the same.

so to this day whenver i hear the counting crows i think of shelley and that little bit of badness i feel for enjoying their music so much. i think of her today because i’ve been listening to their new song, “american girls” over and over and over again, beause the song pretty much rules.