Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Old News.


Congratulations to my two very good friends who were ordained this last week. Unless it's something you aren't sure you want to be congratulated about...

This week, at least the last few days, i have been listening to Death Cab for Cutie's latest album (though not neccesarily a new album) Narrow Stairs. I got into Death Cab back in like '04 or '05 when i first heard thier album Transatlantacism playing in A&B Sound on Hastings in Vancouver, which i've heard no longer exists. (Just an aside, i have eight minutes to complete this blog, and then i get to close the Edge). I have become a fan of the band, collecting pieces of thier back catalogue as i go, seeing them live in concert at a crappy venue, and aquiring thier latest offerings (no props to Third Day) as well. This latest album is dark. That alone does not make it differant from previous albums, because they had some darkness to them as well, and what do i mean by dark, i don't mean satanic or anything, but with lyrical content exploring loss, pain, and despair. Crap! I am not going to finish this. Anyway, the album has some sad songs, and as i have listened to the album this week i have gotten taken in by the sadness of the song "Bixby Canyon Bridge" which to me, seems to recount a person dealing with the loss, even potential suicide of a friend, though i can't say thats what it's about for sure. I find Death Cab to be a strong band both musically and lyrically. Running out of time, not doing album justice. Anyway, i like the album overall - standout songs- "Bixby Canyon Bridge", "I will Posess Your Heart" (which i could write a whole blog on), "Cath" (which is totally a sad song) and i also enjoy the song "talking bird". Check it out if you want, if you don't...i don't care, my music is not for everyone.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

While My Guitar Gently Weeps


So. i've been thinking a lot about George Harrison. Some of you might think that's strange because my son is named after a Paul McCartney song. But as luck would have it, George has been for quite some time my favorite beatle. He has written some of my favorite Beatle songs, and i think i liked him because he was the underdog, the forgotten-overlooked on in the McCartney-Lennon battles. Anyway, I recently read a "biography" of George called "I, Me, Mine" and it was more then a biography, in fact, the biography section was very short, and 2/3 of the book was actually the lyrics to George's songs and stories about why he wrote them and what they were about etc. Mostly very interesting.


I came across one section in his book, as he was describing one of his songs that caught my attention and i want to share it with you here.


"The things that most people are struggling for is fame, or fortune, or wealth, or position; always that's their main ambition and desire in life, to be rich or famous, or to have a good reputation. And really, none of that is important because in the end, death will take it all away"


I love that quote, cause it diagnoses how we live our lives, and how futile our pursuit of these things really is. For George he pursued faith, it wasn't Christian faith, but it was his faith and all the things that it brought with it, that was complete pursuit of George Harrison. And to be honest, i admire it. George's faith changed his life completely. It changed the clothes he wore, the books he read, the music he wrote, the people he spent time with, the conversations he had, everything became about his faith. And that is admirable. As i look at my own life i see changes in me. Things that i would not have done had it not been for my faith, but when i look at my devotion compared to George's i feel like i fall short. Perhaps it's because his celebrity allowed him to have a more widespread and influential platform from which to share his beliefs, but also because he dove into his faith, fully, without resevation and hesitation, and was happy and confidant in sharing it with other people. And i think to myself, if someone who followed a faith that i believe to be untrue in the end can be so strongly devoted and make such a differance in people's lives, where am I, and what am I doing to live my faith as "Wholly" as George Harrison did. Still my favorite Beatle, even though 90% of his songs post-beatles were somehow about or connected to his faith, which to me, made it less exciting to read about and or even listen to.

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

cheap imitation


On the same day that i bought Metallica's new record "Death Magenta", i felt a longing in my heart for music that was new in both vintage and artist. Meaning, i wanted to be introduced to a new artist. Luckily (or was it) an old painting buddy of mine, Dave M. was the music manager at the HMV that i was visiting. So, i said, "Dave, i need new music, what have you got for me?" We walked the floors of HMV, he gave me four cds, and of the four, i bought two, and this was one of them. Hayes Carll, folk/country/blues/rockabilly artist off the Lost Highway record label. (note: same label as Ryan Adams and his Cardinals, of which i bought a sweet limited edition vinyl and t-shirt today). Anyway, Hayes upon quick listen has some endearing alt-country qualities. The first song on the album references a girl "who likes to lay naked and be gazed upon". And it's not so much what he say's as much as his pronounciation - neked. Anyway, he sounded alright, and i needed new music, so i bought him up. But then i listened to his whole record in it's entirity. I regret buying this record. Musically, it's ok, enjoyable even as Hayes and his band evoke classic country-blues jams. But it's his cliche lyrics that bother me. And I guess, i can't blame the guy, not every one can be David Ryan Adams, who manages to mix a slight bit of cheese, with beautiful poetic lyrics about many subjects ranging from broken relationships, to death, and substance abuse, regrets, and stars going blue (yeah, he actually wrote that, not Tim McGraw). But, because Hayes attempts to cover similar subject matter, in a similar genre of music, and on a similar label, one can't help but compare them. And when it comes to lyrics, there is no comparing them. Heck one of his songs even mentions not being a gambler, but gambling since he was a kid or something like that, which is eerily reminiscint of a classic DRA lyric that is much more beautiful in it's "never been to vegas, but i gambled all my life". This review isn't living up to my expectations for it, but the album is mostly disappointing. There are a couple bright spots, but i don't have time to tell you about them now, cause i have to close the edge. Perhaps i will update this update in the morn.
Peace

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Revitalize and Revision

Hello Jon Kramer....

Well, I'm assuming Jon Kramer is still the only one who periodically checks this blog to see if i still sometimes update it.

Anyway, i was thinking yesterday about reformatting the subject matter of my blog so as to revitalize the darn thing. And what I mean by that is, once or twice a week, talk about the music that i am listening to. Cause at least that will give me subject matter, and we all know, once i have subject matter, all else flows randomly out of that like a flower in the concrete. So stay tuned, read about music, even if you don't like the music, and even if you think i am dumb for listening to it...but really you shouldn't because, the only person who may stumble upon this is Jon, and he doesn't really judge me very often...and i like that about him.


So here goes. The album of the day, that i have been listening to for three days is: Metallica's new record - "Death Magnetic" (or as i like to call it "Death Magenta").
So, you may be thinking, "Mike...what is the deal....you like David Ryan Adams, and Counting Crows, and U2, how can you be listening to the latest Metallica offering?" Well that is a valid question. But you see, before you knew me, i listened to Metallica. In fact, they were my all time favorite band. But then as i entered grade 12, i started rocking less hard, and starting being more of an emo kid, without even knowing it. I still rocked hard from time to time, but my metal-inspired rockouts were more and more infrequent. Anyway, out of loyalty to the band who once held the position of my favorite, i bought thier previous effort, "St. Anger". It was crap. It was worse then crap, it was a bigger piece of poo then the pile of triceratops crap in the first Jurassic Park film. Honestly, and what a letdown. It was so bad in fact i swore i would never like Metallica again. It has been five years since that mess came out, and it's taken that full five years to even slightly open my heart to the idea that i could like Metallica again. So, i went to HMV last weekend, and all the hype, all the posters, it was all about Metallica, so i went to a listening station and i listened. And strangly enough, i liked what i heard. So i bought the record. I was embarressed, but i bought it, and since Tuesday, i have been listening to it. And enjoying it. The lyrics aren't as strong as they have been in the past, or maybe they aren't as strong as i remember them being...because like my cousin says "sometimes memories tend to distort", but they are ok, the mix is good, and every song has a guitar solo, which is the exact opposite of it's awful predecsor or however you spell that word. So, yeah, I am rocking out...and driving faster, and even banging my head a little bit, which is unlike my normal self, but every once in a while, you need to return to your roots and embrace them...and as much as i don't want to admit it, these are my roots and for the moment at least....i am accepting and enjoying them.
Standout tracks: The Unforgiven III, The Day That Never Comes, and All Nightmare Long.
Ps. I was nearly killed by a maniac in a truck this afternoon. It was actually really truamatic. I wanted to go home, but instead i had to stay at work and work.