Wow! Take Beck and mix in Danger Mouse and Cat Power and you get “Walls” off Modern Guilt. While I’m loving the whole record, “Walls” has become my latest musical obsession. Thankfully, repeat and headphones exists. The beats, melody, and lyrics work so well together. This song is dark and speaks to the lassitude that so many of us in our country feel now. “Some days we get a thrill in our brains / Some days it turns into malaise / You see your face in the veneer / Reflected on the surface of fear,” the songs open.
Thinking about this song after listening to Barack Obama’s amazing speech last night, I can’t help but to feel how this song, and really the whole album, is a reflection of our lives after 8 years of W—and damage that has been done to us and the rest of the world, not just physically or financially, but more important spiritually.
Here’s a live version of the tune from the Outside Lands Festival.
Published on August 27, 2008 in Album Reviews. Closed
Delta Spirit fit into that amorphous rock, folk, Americana milieu. That isn’t to say they’re derivative, because they aren’t. From the first notes of Ode To Sunshine, the band’s debut on Rounder Records, they show us its—well—spirit of music.
Recorded live in a cabin in the desert near Julian, California, the San Diego-based band has produced one of the most immediate and best sounding albums of the year. No studio trickery, just great musicians playing excellent songs.
While “House Built for Two” is a painfully beautiful break up song, the record is not just a collection of love songs. Ode To Sunshine also takes on the political and spiritual. On tracks such as “People C’mon,” “Streetwalker,” and “People Turn Around,” the personal is most definitely political.
The band is now heavily touring to support their major label debut. But I certainly hope this doesn’t mean that they’ll be too busy to write new songs because I am already looking forward to another record as great as this one.
Published on August 26, 2008 in Uncategorized. Closed
I thought Michelle Obama’s speech was excellent. I truly believe that we must, as she said, work for the “world as it should be.” This is also my responsibility as a person of faith. I lived on the South Side of Chicago for three years at 61st and Woodlawn (South Side!) working with inner city kids. In fact, I even got to meet Barack Obama very early in his political career. And he was, in fact, very impressive—perhaps, mostly because he sat at a table and listened to what we had to say. Now there’s a concept for a politicians. And I truly want to believe that Obama’s down for change. Biden gives me doubts, but I’ll still vote for Barack Obama with enthusiasm, but mostly with hope.
Published on August 20, 2008 in Rest In Peace. Closed
I was going to write my traditional Time Warp Wednesday today, but I was really struck by the deaths some amazing musicians in the last week. Last week Isaac Hayes passed away and today we heard about Johnny Moore who played trumpet and was one of the founders of The Skatalites and LeRoi Moore (There is no relation between the Moores) who played saxophone and, along with Dave Matthews and Carter Beauford, formed the Dave Matthews Band in the early 1990s. Each in their own way, these three cats were all pretty influential musicians. And to their families and fans, they will be greatly missed. Rest In Peace.
Man, oh, man did I wish I had my camera on the way home from work yesterday because I saw one of the greatest examples of redneck ingenuity that I’ve ever seen. The truth is, though, I probably never would have been able to get a good picture from the bus I was riding on. So I will attempt to recreate the visual image for you.
I was casually looking out my window and listening to my iPod when what did I see pulling out of the junk shop parking lot? It was a 1980s vintage Toyota Tercel (see picture) with a red riding lawnmower strapped onto both the trunk and the roof. Now close your eyes and try and picture what I have described. Ok, you can stop laughing now.
I can usually find a song to connect with anything, but this one might have me stumped. Does anyone have any song ideas for mowers on top of cars? What about redneck ingenuity?
Here is one possibility in the category: Kid Rock’s “American Bad Boys.” Wow, this is not only really bad; it’s really scary. I hope I can fall asleep tonight.
Wow. Here’s a band I’m sure you haven’t heard yet. They’re called Hummingbird and they were just formed by my 5-year-old son and my 15-month-old daughter. My son came up with the name. He was very clear that the name of the band is Hummingbird and not The Hummingbirds. I’m not sure when they will release their first album. But I can tell you this: Unlike the White Stripes, they’re really siblings. I have also posted their album cover.
''Whether it's jazz or punk or anything else, you have to fight against the purists who want to narrow the definition. That's what kills music because it stifles it to death.''
—Joe Strummer
Thankfully, repeat and headphones exists. The beats, melody, and lyrics work so well together. This song is dark and speaks to the lassitude that so many of us in our country feel now. “Some days we get a thrill in our brains / Some days it turns into malaise / You see your face in the veneer / Reflected on the surface of fear,” the songs open.
