This Christmas....watch your head!
This Christmas, when hiding a gift you bought for your loved one, make sure you take a lesson from Clark Griswald on how NOT to do it!
Ouch!
Popularity
Jonezetta
"Popularity"
Lately I've had a fear of what I call "the unique becoming the norm". Let me explain. You know when you have something that you cherish for being original, whether it's a CD, an outfit, etc...? And you come to find out what you thought was so original is also owned by a million other people. So much for being original, right? It happens with fashion. You notice a certain style that's catchy and unique, and you think only a few people know about it. Then you come to find out everyone is wearing the same clothes. Well that's "the unique becoming the norm". I see it all the time here in New York. What was original 5 years ago, is now worn by everyone on the street, making tons of clones walking through Manhattan. I hate it, don't you? Well, as excited as I am at the new bands that are pushing musical boundaries and going against what's "the norm", I fear that a thousand other bands are waiting in line to jump on the bandwagon, making the music common. Only time will tell. So what does that have to do with Jonezetta's album Popularity? I'm getting to that. Well, I found out about this new band Jonezetta when I saw they were touring with Mutemath. I read about them and heard people comparing them to The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, and bands like that. So I was a little skeptical, yet hopeful, that they wouldn't be a copycat band. I have to say this album grew on me. The melodies are catchy and the lyrics are witty. Ironically, Jonezetta seems to feel the same way I do about what's popular, in their track Popularity. Check out these lyrics.
They got the raddest hooks
They got the dopest looks
And when they're misunderstood it's even better
And they all agree
The future ends with me
On their computer screens
Like they even...
Matter to the words we sing
Or feel apart in our melodies
If all you have is yourself, you're never going to need anyone else
Popularity- Do you think it's scary?
Everybody's talking with their own opinion
Popularity- It's a lot to carry
I'll fall asleep to you screaming in my brain
The album is filled with lyrics like that, and the music providing the background to the songs are a combination of rock, synth-pop, and funk. With a combination like that, Jonezetta makes a nice entrance for themselves in the music scene.
Songs From Black Mountain
Live
"Songs From Black Mountain"
The mid to late 90's had it's share of awesome rock bands. Smashing Pumpkins, Bush, and Garbage were a few of them. And then there was the band Live. "Selling the Drama"," "I Alone" and "Lightning Crashes" were some of their songs that caught my attention, and had me tuned to to hear lyrics grappling with the pain in this life, and at the same time adding a rocking background to each track. Fast forward to 2006. I have to admit I was so caught up with the new wave of experimental music out, that I had no idea Live released a new album. Curiosity led me to check out what new songs they created this time. One thing I learned after hearing this album is, if there's a band you like that you haven't heard in a while, and they release a new album, drop all expectations before listening to it. Because you'll probably be let down. Rather than welcome a bands' new sound, we slam the door on them, saying they sold out on their original sound. I'm learning to give the bands that I like a little more freedom to experiment, without jumping all over them saying, "Sell out!" Anyway, after hearing this album, I didn't know what to think. I was expecting the intensity of a track like "All Over You" from their older songs, but didn't really get it. But I noticed the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me. I found myself intently listening to the lyrics in the songs, which happen to put me in a reflective mood about life, love, pain, and hope. Then I started to appreciate where they're at as a band now. I would have to say, while their older songs would fit in great at a rock show with tons of screaming fans, this album fits in more at a coffee shop on a rainy day. Depending on your perspective, this is not an album that you could just categorize as good or bad. If you appreciate lyrics that are deep and deal with the complexities that life brings, than you'll probably dig it. As far as the sound goes, it's a little more tame than their previous tracks, but it's actually a nice background for the songs this time around.
“Sometimes you've got to die, to be born again
Sometimes you've got to fight
Sometimes you've got to learn
Sometimes you've got to burn the old brush out, so the new can grow
The weight that lays on your shoulders, could be the wings that carry you home..."
from the song "Wings" on the album.
Grace, and other musings
So I'm here taking up space in this universe, and I have no idea why. What I mean to say is that I have no idea how I'm still alive, considering my past (and present too). I love the word "Grace". It means different things to different people, To some it's a name, to others a prayer before dinner. To me it's my existence. That is the only reason to explain why I'm still here. Sometimes I revisit my memories, and they scare the shit out of me, but at the same time make me grateful to God for allowing me to live. Here's some evidence of grace in my life:
- Going through severe depression and feeling like I was losing my fucking mind at 25, and being able to get through that period of my life. Grace
- Smoking weed, tripping on acid, doing cocaine, drinking heavily in high school, and not getting addicted to any of those. Grace
- Having a wife who continuously loves me, as messed up as I am, and as much as I drive her nuts. Grace
- Constantly feeling like a failure as a dad, and then seeing how much my son loves being with me. Grace
How has grace been manifested in your life?
Catchiest Song Smackdown
I heard two of my favorite songs today. Goody Two Shoes by Adam Ant, and Take On Me by A-Ha. They're the kind of catchy, "get-stuck-in-your-head-all-day-long" songs. (Those trumpets from Goody Two Shoes are still spinning in my head.) So I wanted to pose a question to all of you in cyberspace. What are some of your "get-stuck-in-your-head-all-day-long" songs?
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