Just as I find myself more and more fascinated with words and the various combinations in which we assemble them, I realize that I'm falling more and more for music with a literary edge. Used to be I just liked music that sounded good; now I'm drawn to the stories artists portray through a combination of lyric and tune (I think I just didn't give enough of my attention to the words of songs when I was younger. My mistake.)
I post on Sufjan Stevens a lot because he is so amazing at this sort of craft. He grabs my initial attention with a gentle hook or a lovely orchestration, but then he wrenches at my gut with soul-stirring revelations and beautiful tales of real, human emotion. This stuff usually captivates me so intensely because it is stuff I can relate to; I see the beauty in the world that some artists sing of. I feel the hope, the longing, the joy, the pain that they sing of.
That being said, I think Josh Ritter is one of the most brilliant songwriters of this generation. His music is wonderful - I think it can be dubbed 'folk,' though musical genre descriptions are way too broad these days - but the real kicker in his music is his words.
My personal association with Ritter began last year, when I bought his latest album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter (which I bought, interestingly, because some critics compared him to Sufjan.) I liked it a lot but probably didn't give it the proper attention I should have. Then, this April, I was fortunate enough to meet and talk with Josh after his show in Athens. The guy was so genuine and kind (the dude hugged us all), and his show so incredible, that I started digging deeper into his work.
The more I listened to Ritter, the more I realized that he is a genius (which very well could be true considering, according to his bio, both of his parents are neuroscientists.) His lyrics are mesmerizing, complex tales of hope, loss, love, and so much more, but the words don't get you on first listen; as with poetry, you really have to dissect what he is trying to say. When you do this, you find some startlingly profound stories drenched in raw, human emotion.
I could go on and on about how captivating literary music like Ritter's is for me, but you probably get the idea. It kind of goes back to my theory that the defining characteristics of our world are love and beauty; some artists seem to have figured this out better than others.
I'll leave you, though, with lyrics and a video of one of Ritter's songs, 'Girl in the War,' from his album The Animal Years. I have my own theories on what it's about, but feel free to craft your own; after all, as with poetry, figuring out what it all means is half the fun.
"Peter said to Paul you know all those words we wrote
Are just the rules of the game and the rules are the first to go
But now talking to God is Laurel begging Hardy for a gun
I got a girl in the war man I wonder what it is we done
Paul said to Peter you got to rock yourself a little harder
Pretend the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire
But I got a girl in the war Paul the only thing I know to do
Is turn up the music and pray that she makes it through
Because the keys to the Kingdom got lost inside the Kingdom
And the angels fly around in there but we can't see them
I got a girl in the war Paul I know that they can here me yell
If they can't find a way to help her they can go to Hell
If they can't find a way to help her they can go to Hell
Paul said to Peter you got to rock yourself a little harder
Pretend the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire
But I got a girl in the war Paul her eyes are like champagne
They sparkle bubble over and in the morning all you got is rain
They sparkle bubble over and in the morning all you got is rain
They sparkle bubble over and in the morning all you got is rain."
Showing posts with label Sufjan Stevens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sufjan Stevens. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Nerd Mode
First things first: I always find it interesting that even though I have exponentially more time on my hands during break from school, I usually end up being lazy and am far less active than I am during school. I think it's because school keeps me on an active routine, and thus I am more motivated to do stuff.
While on break, sitting on the couch watching television always sounds more attractive than cleaning, writing, moving. So some things suffer over break. Like updating this here blog. But now school is in full swing again and life becomes active once more.
Some cool things happened last night and I found myself hopelessly entangled in Nerd Mode.
After Bible Study (where I had some cool revelations, more on that in a bit), I ended up in my room with Katie, my roomate Greg and his girlfriend Steph. Katie and I were about to jump head-in to disc 3 of 'Planet Earth' when Greg and Steph came in to hang out. Greg asked about my record player, and the ball got rolling.
I often find myself living with two different kinds of people: those in tune with the more artsy culture I tend to follow (indie music, small-market films, classic literature) and those who couldn't care less about that kind of stuff. Mind you, I don't consider myself 'cooler' because I appreciate this stuff more. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' - other people have other interests. If anything, I'm just a big nerd.
And I fall into Nerd Mode sometimes, like when Greg asked about my record player - he's one of those not exactly in tune with my interests (though, of course, Greg and I are close friends and share several common interests.) As I started explaining the vinyl to him, Steph turned her attention to my Sufjan Stevens records. That's when I really got excited - I can sing Sufjan's praises for hours. And I probably would have last night if 'Planet Earth' hadn't been calling my name. Either way, I started playing Sufjan for them and talking fast and answering their questions and being a big nerd about my music and my vinyl. This is stuff I am really passionate about, and if there are more people to be learned on it, then I am willing to do the learning.
It was good time in my room hanging out with Greg and Steph, even though I was being a nerd and probably completely overwhelmed them (Katie is used to this kind of stuff.)
I found it interesting that this exchange with Greg and Steph happened last night because of what we had discussed at Bible Study. Josh had mentioned at group the passage Psalm 103:5, which says God 'satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.' We discussed this in relation to our desires for things like music, movies, etc. (it's a Bible Study for those who find themselves more into artsy stuff like indie music and such), and my friend Max had an interesting thing to say.
Max said that he doesn't desire to watch more movies (which threw us all off because he's a film student and knows more about movies than anyone I've ever met), but that what he truly enjoys is watching a favorite movie of his with someone who has never seen it, or discussing different aspects of movies with someone else.
And it hit me - I'm the same way with music. Sure, I love to get a new CD or find a new artist and listen to them, but my real excitement comes from sharing that with other people. And as we talked about it more, we connected that idea with the idea of community, and how we are called to live in community and fellowship. I was excited because I thought about how maybe we have this excitement because this is how God sometimes calls us into community, through passions like these and our willingness to share them.
Yes, I got caught up in Nerd Mode last night. When I get worked up about my passion for music, all these desires I have to share my passion overflow and I get to be like a kid on Christmas morning.
Maybe you could say my youth had been restored like the eagle's.
Friday, November 9, 2007
My Record Player
About three months ago I decided to take the next step in music nerdiness and buy a record player. I had been thinking about getting one for a while, mostly for the sake of having one; I consider myself an avid music fan/collector, and it only seemed sensible to have a record player. On top of that, there's something very nostalgic about record players that is calming and makes me want to sip brandy in an apartment that smells of rich mahogany. But I digress.
The opportunity to get a record player arose when my friend Tom decided to sell his turntables before he moved to Chicago. I jumped at the chance because for $225 I got two record players, a mixer, and about 100 records - a really good deal despite the fact that the tables are about 20 years old (but honestly, how many new record players do you see anymore?).
So I collected the equipment from Tom in Columbus and introduced my room to a brand-new space-filler. With Ben's help I set up the two players, with the mixer in between, and hooked them up to a couple of old but reliable speakers. It all rested on top of an old shelf I bought from New to You (which, the creepy salesman enthusiastically told me, has a growers' lamp on the underside - no worries, I stashed my records there) and set up at the foot of my bed.
At first I tried my hand at the whole turntable idea; included in the 100 records were several hip-hop and electronic vinyls, so I attempted 'mixing' and 'scratching' them. Turns out this is in fact very hard - and I am very white. It would take a lot of work to master that art, work that I, quite frankly, am not really motivated to accomplish.
So I closeted one of the record players, giving up my future as DJ Mixmaster Sam. I then raided my mom's old record collection, which had been stashed in our family barn for about 15 years. I didn't really think any of them would work anymore - that many years of humidity, dust, and frost surely warped the vinyl - but I figured it would be worth a shot to dust a few off and give them a spin.
And not only do they still work, but there are some real gems in the bunch - like, for instance, the entire Beatles catalog (oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh). And Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, Wings, James Taylor...the list goes on. Who knew my mom had a cool taste in music? I mean, I grew up with the Beatles, but there were like 100 (mostly) cool vinyls in her collection.
So here I am, with an extensive record collection and a record player in pretty good shape. My next move was to browse Haffa's (my home away from home, the record store in Athens) for records, something I had never done before but made me feel like I'd finally risen to a 'music elite' status (watch 'High Fidelity' and you'll understand). Of course, here is the dangerous aspect of my new hobby - I spend enough money on CDs as it is; what will records do to my bank account?
To this day I've only spent about $75 on records; thankfully I've been able to monitor my purchases. New records I've bought include Elliott Smith's 'New Moon,' Arcade Fire's 'Funeral,' Explosions in the Sky's 'All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone,' and Andrew Bird's 'Armchair Apocrypha.' I'd kill to have some Sufjan and Sigur Ros records, and I'm sure that day will come, but until then I'm fasting from buying vinyl - I hope.
When I bought the new records from Haffa's, I though I was pretty cool as I pulled out the vinyl, rested it on the deck and placed the needle carefully on top as the record started spinning. This is how much of a music nerd I am.
But for a while, the records just didn't do it for me. I'd listen more and more to my iTunes and let my record player and vinyls just be a collection stashed in the corner. I didn't value it for the sound quality or anything like that - I valued it for the sake of simply owning it. I think this makes me a music snob.
Lately, though, I've been giving my record player another chance. I don't know why, maybe it's the cold weather and the fact that there's something very comforting about the thought of curling up under my covers, listening to records and drinking tea (haha ok I'm pushing the line of pansiness...sorry).
And I've had an epipahany - damn does that record player sound good. It was what I had known to be true all along but had arrogantly disregarded: records truly have superior quality to digital music. I discovered the truth as I listened to Explosions in the Sky. There was such ferocity in the low end and such clarity in the treble, such that I was hearing little things I hadn't caught on the digital version. It was a joy to experience.
Then last night Katie and I were chilling in my room listening to Elliott Smith. It was so calming, so relaxing, as if Elliott were sitting right there serenading us. It was a musical experience I don't often have while listening to my iPod or iTunes.
The truth is that I'm not going to stop buying CDs or collecting digital music - that will still be my main avenue for music. It's too easy and too cheap. But I'm excited to say that I can't wait to pursue this newfound record collection because it's given me such a new appreciation for the finer aspects of music.
Because it doesn't matter how many plays are racked up on Last.fm or how quick it is to double-click on any song or artist you want; what matters with music is how complex, detailed and beautiful every second of it is. And my records help me catch every little bit of it.
The opportunity to get a record player arose when my friend Tom decided to sell his turntables before he moved to Chicago. I jumped at the chance because for $225 I got two record players, a mixer, and about 100 records - a really good deal despite the fact that the tables are about 20 years old (but honestly, how many new record players do you see anymore?).
So I collected the equipment from Tom in Columbus and introduced my room to a brand-new space-filler. With Ben's help I set up the two players, with the mixer in between, and hooked them up to a couple of old but reliable speakers. It all rested on top of an old shelf I bought from New to You (which, the creepy salesman enthusiastically told me, has a growers' lamp on the underside - no worries, I stashed my records there) and set up at the foot of my bed.
At first I tried my hand at the whole turntable idea; included in the 100 records were several hip-hop and electronic vinyls, so I attempted 'mixing' and 'scratching' them. Turns out this is in fact very hard - and I am very white. It would take a lot of work to master that art, work that I, quite frankly, am not really motivated to accomplish.
So I closeted one of the record players, giving up my future as DJ Mixmaster Sam. I then raided my mom's old record collection, which had been stashed in our family barn for about 15 years. I didn't really think any of them would work anymore - that many years of humidity, dust, and frost surely warped the vinyl - but I figured it would be worth a shot to dust a few off and give them a spin.
And not only do they still work, but there are some real gems in the bunch - like, for instance, the entire Beatles catalog (oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh). And Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, Wings, James Taylor...the list goes on. Who knew my mom had a cool taste in music? I mean, I grew up with the Beatles, but there were like 100 (mostly) cool vinyls in her collection.
So here I am, with an extensive record collection and a record player in pretty good shape. My next move was to browse Haffa's (my home away from home, the record store in Athens) for records, something I had never done before but made me feel like I'd finally risen to a 'music elite' status (watch 'High Fidelity' and you'll understand). Of course, here is the dangerous aspect of my new hobby - I spend enough money on CDs as it is; what will records do to my bank account?
To this day I've only spent about $75 on records; thankfully I've been able to monitor my purchases. New records I've bought include Elliott Smith's 'New Moon,' Arcade Fire's 'Funeral,' Explosions in the Sky's 'All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone,' and Andrew Bird's 'Armchair Apocrypha.' I'd kill to have some Sufjan and Sigur Ros records, and I'm sure that day will come, but until then I'm fasting from buying vinyl - I hope.
When I bought the new records from Haffa's, I though I was pretty cool as I pulled out the vinyl, rested it on the deck and placed the needle carefully on top as the record started spinning. This is how much of a music nerd I am.
But for a while, the records just didn't do it for me. I'd listen more and more to my iTunes and let my record player and vinyls just be a collection stashed in the corner. I didn't value it for the sound quality or anything like that - I valued it for the sake of simply owning it. I think this makes me a music snob.
Lately, though, I've been giving my record player another chance. I don't know why, maybe it's the cold weather and the fact that there's something very comforting about the thought of curling up under my covers, listening to records and drinking tea (haha ok I'm pushing the line of pansiness...sorry).
And I've had an epipahany - damn does that record player sound good. It was what I had known to be true all along but had arrogantly disregarded: records truly have superior quality to digital music. I discovered the truth as I listened to Explosions in the Sky. There was such ferocity in the low end and such clarity in the treble, such that I was hearing little things I hadn't caught on the digital version. It was a joy to experience.
Then last night Katie and I were chilling in my room listening to Elliott Smith. It was so calming, so relaxing, as if Elliott were sitting right there serenading us. It was a musical experience I don't often have while listening to my iPod or iTunes.
The truth is that I'm not going to stop buying CDs or collecting digital music - that will still be my main avenue for music. It's too easy and too cheap. But I'm excited to say that I can't wait to pursue this newfound record collection because it's given me such a new appreciation for the finer aspects of music.
Because it doesn't matter how many plays are racked up on Last.fm or how quick it is to double-click on any song or artist you want; what matters with music is how complex, detailed and beautiful every second of it is. And my records help me catch every little bit of it.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Denison Witmer...pretty impressive
Just got back from seeing Denison Witmer at The Front Room. I hadn't really heard of him before, aside from seeing his posters around Baker and having enough curiosity to preview some of his songs on iTunes. But then I read today that he's friends with Sufjan Stevens, and naturally I was interested. So I checked out the show, and he did not disappoint.
He has a very folky feel, as I kind of expected. It was just him and an acoustic guitar, which actually kind of distracted me... he played mostly very soft, gentle tunes that he described as 'sleepy,' and I just have a very hard time concentrating on live performers who are straight-up acoustic. The 'intimate' setting of The Front Room was appropriate, and his songs were spot on and catchy. It just dragged a little because they were all SO gentle. Maybe I was just freaking out from the 4 cups of coffee I had drank previous to the show. Who knows.
Anyway, I could tell the music had great potential and probably was better suited on CD, so it could be played when I was in the right mood. I picked up his latest, 'Are You a Dreamer,' as well as the double-CD 'Safe Away,' half of which is an acoustic/live EP. Turns out this was a great decision; both are awesome, and it's obvious I can focus more on them and appreciate them in the 'intimate' setting of my bedroom. I'll be soaking this stuff up for a while.
Cool thing about Denison Witmer too is that he has a website, http://www.happybirthdaydenison.com, where he has posted a ton of free live mp3s, most of which are similar to the show at The Front Room, straight-up soft acoustic folk (his records have some other instrumentation.) Pick these up and listen to them when you just want to chill.
Mood: chill, intimate, happy, reflective
He has a very folky feel, as I kind of expected. It was just him and an acoustic guitar, which actually kind of distracted me... he played mostly very soft, gentle tunes that he described as 'sleepy,' and I just have a very hard time concentrating on live performers who are straight-up acoustic. The 'intimate' setting of The Front Room was appropriate, and his songs were spot on and catchy. It just dragged a little because they were all SO gentle. Maybe I was just freaking out from the 4 cups of coffee I had drank previous to the show. Who knows.
Anyway, I could tell the music had great potential and probably was better suited on CD, so it could be played when I was in the right mood. I picked up his latest, 'Are You a Dreamer,' as well as the double-CD 'Safe Away,' half of which is an acoustic/live EP. Turns out this was a great decision; both are awesome, and it's obvious I can focus more on them and appreciate them in the 'intimate' setting of my bedroom. I'll be soaking this stuff up for a while.
Cool thing about Denison Witmer too is that he has a website, http://www.happybirthdaydenison.com, where he has posted a ton of free live mp3s, most of which are similar to the show at The Front Room, straight-up soft acoustic folk (his records have some other instrumentation.) Pick these up and listen to them when you just want to chill.
Mood: chill, intimate, happy, reflective
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