Because when I'm stressed out at work, I watch him and all my stress just melts...
Today we honor John Mayer:
Music Revelation
OK - so I went to go see and advanced screening of the movie "I Love You Man" last night. It was really funny. In it they really like the band RUSH, and I happen to love the song Tom Sawyer. So, when the movie was over I had Tom Sawyer stuck in my head. I was thinking about how when I first heard that song it was actually a cover by Mindless Self Indulgence. MSI is a really weird band to explain, I call it fast druggie androgynous rock. Anyway, I wouldn't by any means put them in the same genre as Rush. Yet, I love both versions of that song so much.
Then my revelation struck: A truly unique and solidly written song has the ability to transcend genres. This concept may have existed in your minds but it hadn't really occurred to me before.
Anyway, for your reading pleasure, here is Tom Sawyer in the form of written word.
A modern day warrior
Mean mean stride,
Today's Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride.
Though his mind is not for rent
Don't put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day's events
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift
The world is, the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today's Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No his mind is not for rent
To any god or government
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren't permanent
But change is
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the witness, catch the wit
Catch the spirit, catch the spit
The world is, the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today's Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to the friction of the day
Here is MSI's version
Here is Rush
Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs is known for it's lead singer/songwriter Ben Gibbard gaining inspiration from staying in the same cabin Jack Kerouac did some of his writing in.
Although the album never really gave me a feeling similar to Jack Kerouac's writing.
I was just listening to it again, in preparation for an upcoming show I will be attending in April. And as I was listening I realized the album, to me, is extremely nostalgic of sitting alone in a cabin in the woods. These songs feel like summertime isolation. Huh.
Anyway I'm excited for the show. I saw DCFC last year and it was awesome. But nothing will top the Ben Gibbard Solo Tour from a few years back. It was pretty solid on its own account but had extra special meaning to me at the time as I was going through some shit, and that show really saved me.
I am hooked on this CD
Thom Yorke's The Eraser
A while ago I said I was going to write about this cd, but I just never got to listening to it. Well, it finally got to it and it hasn't left my car cd player for at least a week solid now. I put it on a burnt cd with Radiohead's In Rainbows, but I find myself skipping ahead to these tracks.
The difference between it and radiohead is subtle, yet I prefer Thom Yorke doing his own thing.
I'm hooked on the songs The Clock, Black Swan, Skip Divided, And it Rained All Night and Harrowdown Hill. Shit thats more then half the CD. The other tracks are good too, but those listed are REALLY good. I can't get them out of my head, it's so melodic, I can't stop whistling and humming it. It's like crack, I'm addicted.
If anyone wants a copy I'll burn you one free of charge, just let me know. (Of course then once your hooked, my prices will steadily increase...) (That's a drug joke) (I don't think I pulled it off) (but I tried...).
indie heads need Jesus, too
indie heads need Jesus, too - A comment on Sufjan Stevens.
I'm not sure how I came across it but I started watching lots of Sufjan Stevens videos today. I first heard of this musician when I was in college, and a guy I had some classes with, Scott Blades (shoutout!), had a song on a mix CD which was accidentally left in a computer I often sat at. {There were some other noteworthy artists I discovered off this mix, including one of my all time fav songs Sing by travis}
Anyway, I downloaded some random Stevens and although I enjoyed the folky sweet nature of it, in my mind I wrote it off as "christian music" and therefor something I was not interested in.
Well, Stevens does not classify himself in this genre, although some songs are strongly christian in theme, he is just making music from his heart.
So with this all said, today I was listening to him and there is something strangely positive and inspirational in his music. To me it is reminiscent of the few times in my life that I felt some kind of strong spiritual connection with the world. At the moment I'll admit I'm somewhat lost spiritually, as the only thing I've done in the past year was read the Dhammapada, but as far as reaching any kind of lightness and love in my heart, well that is lacking. Not to say it's not in my mind. But Knowing and Feeling are two different things... but I digress.
All I'm saying for now is, as quoted above (I found in an article about him) "indie heads need Jesus too". So even if you're strictly a non-religious type, give this thoughtful music a try. Ignore the christian ties if you like and listen to as more of songs about humanity. I promise it will touch a place in you that makes you feel good and right.
As a side note, if you're a gal, or a boy who appreciates boys - Stevens is dead sexy. Bonus.
Dylan today, Shins tomorrow
I just feel like I should blog about something, cause it's been a while. I guess today I will give my top five favorite Bob Dylan songs.
In no particular order:
Just Like A Women, live in 66 version.
You're a Big Girl Now
It Ain't Me Babe
Mixed Up Confusion
Blowin in the Wind
Also I am forever amused a line in Quinn The Eskimo:
I like to go just like the rest,
I like my sugar sweet
But jumping queues and making haste
just ain't my cup of meat
Everybody's beneath the trees
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
All the pigeons gonna run to him.
ALSO - WHEN THE HELL ARE THE SHINS FINALLY GOING TO GO ON TOUR AGAIN??
I really want to see them, and ever since I got this urge, they have not been touring. :(
Sadly this past weekend I had a little 19 year old boy insult my music collection on my mp3 player. He didn't really insult me on taste, but on content, since he noticed I only had 1 album for a vaste majority of the artists. He seemed most impressed that I had Passion Pit which I happened to have previously metioned on this blog! Yay! But I felt like saying to him, OK dude, wait until you're a working professional in your late 20s and see how much time you have to update your god damn music collection. It's ok though, at least I had something current, so props to me.
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