These are my two all time favorite albums.
This is an album that has gotten me through a lot. From uplifting songs that take me to the most joyous parts of life (Don't Carry it All) to songs that tell me I'm going to get through the bad parts (Rise to Me, Dear Avery). Every single song is fantastic.
It's my favorite Decemberists album and given how guest heavy it is (Peter Buck, Gillian and Rawlings) was actually viewed a little askew by "purists"--but I'm not one so it's great.
As to OP, I'm in my 50s now and wouldn't attempt to boil things down to one this or that, in fact if any thing, I've always be hooked on discovery--the unheard, unread. Could be music or film or literature or a book that made previously dull geology suddenly interesting and relevant. One thing about making your way in the world is that the vast majority of careers rely on specialization, and there are those that achieve great discovery via a narrow path. It also provides the best chance of being remunerated well for your efforts, but it also seems more than a bit dulling.
