List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they
have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're
really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7
songs. Then tag 6 other people to see what they're listening to.
So, here are my seven songs, in no particular order:
1. Paul Westerberg, "Mr. Rabbit," from the album Stereo
This album goes back a few years, but I recently got it back after having loaned it out, and I've rediscovered how wicked cool it is. Paul Westerberg, former singer/songwriter for the Replacements, recorded the album in his basement, and the songs reflect the sheer rawness of it. "Mr. Rabbit" is an American folk song in the making.
2. Half-Handed Cloud, "You've Been Faithful to Us Clouds," from the album Halos & Lassos
Half-Handed Cloud is my new favorite band, and Halos and Lassos is my new favorite album, and so I'm reluctant to list only one song, especially when the title doesn't do justice to the rampant quirkiness of the music. But this is the track that I had on repeat for my whole commute today. Halos and Lassos is like the Beatles' White Album or the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds or They Might Be Giants' Flood, using the Psalms as a sourcebook. From Sufjan Stevens's label Asthmatic Kitty. Speaking of Sufjan . . .
3. Sufjan Stevens, "Casmir Pulaski Day," from the album Come On Feel the Illinoise
Best album of 2005, bar none, and an unbelievably tender, sad song. Sufjan is the great hope of music.
4. The Decemberists, "The Sporting Life," from the album Picaresque
A gift from my sister and brother-in-law, these guys are remarkable. I dig the song because it's about the moment of failure in a person's meager attempt to impress girls and live up to parental expectations by pretending to be an athlete. I can relate.
5. Death Cab for Cutie, "I'll Follow You into the Dark," from the album Plans
I'm a sucker for nerd rock. I saw this video online. Very creative, very touching.
6. Matisyahu, "Message in a Bottle"
The Police originated this song, but Matisyahu, the hasidic reggae sensation, is a natural to cover it. Again, I saw it online and don't think he's put it on a disc, but this is a song for the ages, and I'm glad to see someone true carrying it forward.
7. The Fold, "The Title Track," from the album This Too Will Pass
I knew the lead singer when he was the best high school drummer I'd ever heard. He's a great guy, a remarkable talent, and a constantly maturing, reflective soul. I'm glad to see he's following his bliss in music.
And now for the magic six:
1. Amena Brown
2. Allen Fawcett
3. Paul Grant
4. Pete Juvinall
5. Nancy Chan
6. Kristi Reimer
Get busy!
8 comments:
I thought of you the other day Dave, I had seen where Sufjan is releasing 21 or so tracks that were B-Sides of Illinoise. Supposedly, it's coming out in July.
It's funny too that after hearing Sufjan and digging him a bit, I see and hear his influence elsewhere like 'Mockingbird' by Derek Webb, for example.
My 7 are coming soon... :)
Pete:
Your ID links you to a blog that you don't maintain anymore. Is there any way to update that to get people to Notes from the Terminal Ward?
Pete:
Your ID links you to a blog that you don't maintain anymore. Is there any way to update that to get people to Notes from the Terminal Ward?
Thanks for pointing that out. I kind of tweaked my profile a bit...I'm hoping that will be a bit clearer.
--pete
right there with you on sufjan - when i'm in the right frae of mind, there's nothing else like *illionoise* on my ipod.
RE: Number 4,
You did very well meeting parental expectations. BTW, I don't remember setting any ones for athletics. And thank you again for finding me a copy of Master Jack, even though it didn't make your list.
Thanks, Daddy! And he's absolutely right: there were no athletic expectations placed on me by my parents. I got caught up in the blogging and wandered from the truth. Mea culpa.
The one parental expectation that none of my siblings or I lived up to was the vocational issue: my parents wanted one doctor, one lawyer and one airline pilot. That way they could fly for free, sue for free and get sick for free. No such luck.
I've had "The Sporting Life" stuck in my head for the past few weeks. Is it just me or is there some sort of musical influence from "This Charming Man" by The Smiths to be heard in the song?
On a completely unrealted note (I love a good pun) I need some clarification that will greatly assist me in drastically improving the state of education in Arizona.
Students are required to:"Identify the meaning of metaphors based on literary allusions and conceits." Can anyone out there provide me with a good example. The textbooks these kids use are full of metaphors and allusions, but outside of T.S. Elliot I am hard pressed to find a good metaphor based on literary allusion or conceit.I want to give some teachers a good example of what this would look like. - Thanks.
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