Listening to life requires infinite desire and infinite patience. Given time, every song has a story to tell. Here are mine. Tell me yours?
Memories, news, reviews. Old and new.
Wish. Listen.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Week 1: New World Order
Day 3: You Better WORK!
Current track: Ms. New Booty from The Charm (2006) -- Bubba Sparxxx feat. The Ying Yang Twins and Mr. ColliPark
Allow me to apologize in advance, for today's featured track. I definitely wouldn't call it a "good" song, but it makes me laugh, and it will probably still end up on my workout mix. I had to do it, though. Given all of the advertising that is directed at health and fitness during the month of January, I couldn't have chosen a more appropriate music video to share. It spoofs every infomercial trope that it can muster.
So many people make resolutions that aim for better health, and good intentions so often turn into a waste of time, energy, and money. Hell, I've done it, too. This year, I am crazy enough to have started a Couch Potato to 10K training schedule, as my first "project." I'm treating it as an experiment, rather than a goal. I am much more interested in becoming more aware of my physical body than I am catering to some egoistic need to feel pretty. I already like my booty; thanks for noticing. Now, let's dance.
Describe the new you in 2011. (Here is a hint: it is probably a whole lot like the present you.)
7:21 PM
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Week 1: New World Order
Day 2: It's a Brand New Day....
Current track: Brand New Day from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog -- Joss Whedon
What is it about New Year's resolutions that have people up in arms, dropping "weapons of mass destruction" on the previous year? I have always found it more than a little amusing that so many people spew so much venom, only to turn around and declare that the New Year will be "so much better." Does anyone else see the irony, here?
I rarely make New Year's Resolutions...more like, New Year's "I'll Give It a Shots," or New Year's "We'll See What Happens-es." I have no delusions about actually being resolute, because I prefer flexibility and humor to failure. Last year, I started making a least one silly resolution. Things that seem silly at first can do beautiful things for one's life. In fact, I could argue that overcoming any obstacle requires a person to get over themselves, and their feelings of silliness, insecurity, awkwardness, etc. Last year, I chose "Cultivate the Absurd" as my non-resolution. I think it went well, especially in my classroom. I'm still not sure what silly/crazy goal to attack, this year. World domination might be a good place to start (see below).
Leave your suggestions in the comments!
Labels: ]anuary, 2011, Week 1
8:15 PM
Monday, January 3, 2011
Week 1: New World Order
[Well, if I have learned nothing else today, it is that I need to start planning my playlists WELL in advance. I am far too invested in telling a good story to make sacrifices, when it comes to song choice and ordering. For all the music nerds out there, read the song titles/artists as they cycle through the embedded player at the bottom of the page.]
Given that this blog is officially up and running, I thought that I would christen her maiden voyage with songs that reflect both sacrifice and gain. There is a danger in becoming nostalgic for things that have passed away with the previous year, but there is equal peril in forward motion given to guilt alone. 2010 wasn't an easy year, by any stretch of the imagination. Unemployment hit a lot of my close friends and family members, and those that weren't directly affected by job loss felt trapped. I know that I did. Financial security (ha!) took first place on my list of priorities. Sadly, I missed out on a few promising opportunities, as a result of my own fears for the future. I lost another year with someone that I love dearly. I said goodbye to my mother, just in case. I had a beloved pet die in my arms, for the first time. I injured myself in a fall that is still affecting me in small ways, months later. I also had a terrific year.
Here is the thing: I'm not tempted into a war against the past or false hopes of a utopian future. I sit squarely in the middle, somewhere between Letting Go and Holding On to what I already have. The songs I chose reflect my priorities. Making the world a more beautiful place is at the top of the list. I have to start somewhere, so I'm imposing my own New World Order.
What do you need to let go, or pick up, in 2011? Pick a song, post it in the comments, add to the list.Labels: 2011, Week 1
10:58 PM
Sunday, January 2, 2011
New Year, New Madness!
Hello again! It has been ages since I first set up this blog and started posting. Since that time, I have taken countless moments to consider why I lacked the motivation/focus/energy/time/(excuses, excuses) to continue posting on a regular basis. Thankfully, I feel like I have reached some important conclusions:
- It is far too easy to get obsessed with music, when you are a music teacher.
- Given #1, I am extremely opposed to pigeon-holing myself into a particular genre-based blog. Sure, I could focus solely on one genre, but I feel like I would be missing out on so much more.
- #2 presents a few formatting problems, namely, where to begin, and how to hold it all together.
- Perceived solipsism begets guilt. I really don't want this blog to become an all-about-me page. Music is about community, shared passions and visions, and artistic expression. It is also about math, science, language, history, and culture. To ignore any of the above would be irresponsible and BORING.
There are, of course, solutions to everything presented above. In short, I refuse to apologize for wanting to explore music as thoroughly as I can. I do need to find a springboard though, some place to start my dive into the deep end. I've decided to streamline my blogging process by focusing on a weekly theme, daily posts on that theme, and end-of-the-week reflections. The formatting should become more obvious and organic, as I continue to add content. To solve the "ME ME ME" (mi mi mi?) dilemma, the solution is a simple one: get over it. Like any writer, I need to start somewhere, and it doesn't much matter where Somewhere is located. Music writing -- and especially music criticism -- is subjective by nature. In fact, I am fairly certain that true objectivity is impossible, where human beings are concerned. So, where is Somewhere located, these days? I am jumping on the New Year's bandwagon, and this week's posts will focus on the "new." Take that any way you would like. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post, with an updated playlist!
Current track: Auld Lang Syne -- The Real McKenzies
Labels: 2011, beginnings, January
3:52 PM
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Departures
Current album: Ágætis byrjun ("A good beginning") (U.S. release, 2001) -- Sigur Rós
I have a few early musings about this album, but I feel the need to add notes as I go...to come back to this place over and over again, as I think that there is much to be found with further exploration. Oddly, as I remember hearing these songs, a few choice memories return to me:
- Amul, stating that seeing Sigur Rós live was one of the best concerts he has ever attended.
- I am sure that Mishka and I spent more than one night listening to this album in the attic rooms of his old house in college. The street name is escaping me, but he lived there with the whole ragtag crew. Something tells me that our connection to this album goes back much, much earlier, to late nights spent in the dorms.
- I was always struck by the fetal image on the album cover, due in part to its somewhat-deformed simplicity. It has a peaceful quality though, rather than an alarming one. I wonder out loud, as I type, who the artist was. I should definitely look that up. Ahh, there it is: Gotti Bernhöft.
- This album arrived during the heyday of the postrock scene, when I was listening to a lot of postrock, à la Interpol et. al. I still refuse to be a Coldplay fan, though.
There is a lot of magical possibility in Sigur Rós’s music. For example, I knew that many of their lyrics are written in a constructed language, but I just learned tonight that people refer to it as Volenska, or in English, Hopelandic. The idea is that the lyrics focus more on melody and rhythm than on inherent meaning. I just found another interesting snippet of info, courtesy of the Lyrics Wiki: apparently, the string parts in “Starláfur” are palindromic. I knew that I liked that song for a reason...well, that and the fact that it mentions an elf for no apparent reason.
In general, it has been a long time since I actually dedicated any considerable attention to a single album. I have been motivated more by consumption than by sustained attention. That is a sad shame. I remember studying several pieces in college that became infinitely more interesting when I had to spend time with them, analyze them, or write a paper about them. I can’t wait to do that more often!
I'll be returning to my regularly scheduled program soon. There are things a'brewin'.
5:47 PM
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Week 1: Songs and Stories (3/11)
Feeling Useless
Current track: Useless from the album Ultra (1997) -- Depeche Mode
There are so many strange and wonderful tidbits about this song. First of all, I have been fortunate enough to see DM a number of times--though I have no pictures to share, this time around. The only problem with this is that I have only seen DM once with anyone who actually listened to them before the show. (Thanks, Michael!) Every other time, it has been someone with a passing fancy, who happens to know Enjoy the Silence as "that song I heard once when I was 3." That said, I still have a lot to learn. Luckily, I have ample remixes in which to indulge, and I happen to know several attractive people who would be happy to play DM at the drop of a hat. Let's dance.
Useless was written by Martin Gore, but Dave Gahan was the voice behind it. Plenty of speculation surrounds the lyrics. Just prior to Ultra's release, Gahan was struggling with a heroin addiction, which landed him in rehab. Released from rehab in 1996, Gahan headed back into the studio to record Ultra and a handful of singles that were included on a later album. Fans over at Songmeanings.net offer the possibility that the song may have been about Alan Wilder's departure from the band in 1995. The lack of keyboard--Alan's instrument--seems to be an accusation...but not to me. The lyrics seem directly related to the effects of heroin addiction, and Gore's internal dialogue with the absent Gahan. Apparently, Gore dealt with some (alcohol-related) issues of his own, so I wouldn't be surprised if he used the song as a means to address addiction, in general.
Watch the clock on the wall
feel the slowing of time
hear a voice in the hall
echoing in my mind
All your stupid ideals
you've got your head in the clouds
you should see how it feels
with your feet on the ground
Frankly, I'm more attracted to the repeated ninths in the vocal line, and the dissonance in the lead guitar. Oh yeah, and Gahan is a complete freak on stage. It wasn't long before I expected him to be permanently shirtless and writhing. I have no complaints.
Okay, except this: (NOTE: a few of the linked videos are mildly NSFW, due to the nature of Victoria's Secret fashions.)
A remix of Useless was used in an ad campaign for Victoria's Secret...specifically, for a new bra. Now, I know that Depeche Mode has a tendency to conjure up bedroom fantasies, but the idea of using Useless to sell anything other than itself seems a bit counterproductive, no?
Or, ya know, I could just cover Personal Jesus instead. Oh wait, that's been done before again. (I'm sorry. The last linked video is just painful, if you haven't already seen/heard it.)Labels: cover, Depeche Mode, lingerie
9:09 PM
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Week 1: Songs & Stories (2/11)
Dancin' Like a Fool In Your Mom's Basement
Current track: Doctor Worm from the album Severe Tire Damage(1998) -- They Might Be Giants
I'm interested in things
It's true! Does anyone else remember dancing flailing wildly and spinning around in your parents' basement to TMBG videos on MTV? (Wait...I take that back. I'm NOT old, I swear! Back away slowly....) Okay then, how many of you have dated more than one drummer? Hands? (...and if you are a drummer, I'm betting that the number of bands you have been in is at least equivalent to any potential response to that question.) Doctor Worm sounds like every drummer I've ever liked. You know...the ones that I didn't ditch at the prom.
It is impossible for me to listen to this song without catapulting myself back in time. Even though TMBG played Doctor Worm for the first time in 1997, it reminds me of a lot of their earlier material. In my opinion, it could easy slide right into the track listing for Lincoln or Flood. Compare the following video to the one for Ana Ng and imagine adding a horn section to the latter; you'll see what I mean:
...and allow me to say that I approve of the liberal use of horn sections in alt-rock.
Without caring intending to sound too corny, TMBG has a special place in my heart. I have seen them live more than any other band, to date. Then again, the fact that They tour relentlessly might have something to do with that. As a result, you start getting used to the "regulars" that appear at all of the shows within a 300-mile radius.
...like this guy. No, not that one...the one leaning against the Coors Light sign like he knows something I don't know. I met him at the free show in D.C. a few years ago. I wish I could remember his name; he was a real stand up guy. Annoying Girl made a beeline for him to offer flattery in the hope of jumping in front of me to steal a front-row space. He gave up the spot that he had been holding for 4+ hours to accommodate both of us.
TMBG shows offer lots of memorable moments like the one above: I used to pass sketch/notebooks for people to sign while camping out in line. Linnell once yelled at my boyfriend for clapping along with Sleepwalkers; he had to start the entire song over again. (I don't think I've ever seen that happen before or since.) A careless roadie killed Flansburgh's custom Mojo guitar during a concert in Pittsburgh. I haven't seen him use it at a large venue since then. 
The confetti canons that have become a staple at TMBG shows failed during my birthday-present show, last year. 
Bottom line: Listening to TMBG's Doctor Worm gives me yet another great excuse for acting like a fool kid in public, not that I really needed another excuse. This stuff is auditory sunshine, though. I dare you not to dance...or date ANOTHER drummer.Labels: drummers, TMBG
12:53 AM
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