We're now almost two months into our Discography discussion and I can honestly say that I'm enjoying it more every week. As compared to most of my ideas, which are either illogically envisioned or clumsily enacted, this is coming together nicely.
Jason Isbell, Yvette
There were several different songs that I considered for this week, some of which I had started to write up (and which are being shuffled back to later weeks). In the end I decided to follow my own advice: what song are you thinking of this week? This summer I'm teaching a class entitled Aesthetic Expression, which is in some ways an art history class, but more centrally it's a class about how you relate to art; essentially, grappling with your own aesthetic criteria. Last week we were discussing beauty, or, more appropriately, I guess, Beauty. I was trying to get the students to struggle with the question of the difficulty of defining beauty (ending up with Serrano's Piss Christ). While we were discussing this I was playing Young and Foolish (which I was championing a couple weeks ago) by Bill Evans in the background. I told them that it was inconceivable that someone could not find the Evans piece beautiful. They agreed without me having to abuse them too harshly. Earlier in the day I had sent them a link to the Isbell song Yvette and asked them to give it a couple listens before class. I then began playing it and something like the following discussion ensued:
Professor: OK, did you like the Isbell song?
Students: Sort of. It was pretty vanilla, although he has a nice voice.
Professor: Vanilla?
Students: Yeah, it's sort of elevator music.
Professor: Hmmmmm, interesting. That's what you got out of it?
Students: [low murmur as they know that they've missed something] I mean, it was a nice song.
Professor: Nice, hmmmm. OK, is it beautiful?
Students: Well, yeah, like I said, he does have a nice voice . . .
Professor: What's it about?
Students: It's a love song.
Professor: A love song?
One particularly unfortunate student: Something like a love song. It's about a guy who loves this girl and he's excited about being welcomed into her family.
Professor: Really?
One particularly unfortunate student: Yeah, I felt a real connection to it. I had a very similar experience.
Professor: You had a very similar experience? Seriously, you had a very similar experience?
One particularly unfortunate student: [voice wavering] Yeah, sort of.
Students: Well, if it's not a love song what's it about?
Professor: It's about incest and molestation and abuse and probably cutting and murder.
Students: Jesus.
One particularly unfortunate student: Well, not exactly the same experience . . .
Professor: OK, now, is the song beautiful?
Female students: [en masse] Yes.
Male students: [mixed] He does have a nice voice.
Professor: And, children, this is why Plato thought democracy was a dumb idea.
Finally, I repeated this version, although obviously in a much shorter version on Twitter, and Jason Isbell tagged it with a Like.
Gary Scudder
Jason Isbell, Yvette
There were several different songs that I considered for this week, some of which I had started to write up (and which are being shuffled back to later weeks). In the end I decided to follow my own advice: what song are you thinking of this week? This summer I'm teaching a class entitled Aesthetic Expression, which is in some ways an art history class, but more centrally it's a class about how you relate to art; essentially, grappling with your own aesthetic criteria. Last week we were discussing beauty, or, more appropriately, I guess, Beauty. I was trying to get the students to struggle with the question of the difficulty of defining beauty (ending up with Serrano's Piss Christ). While we were discussing this I was playing Young and Foolish (which I was championing a couple weeks ago) by Bill Evans in the background. I told them that it was inconceivable that someone could not find the Evans piece beautiful. They agreed without me having to abuse them too harshly. Earlier in the day I had sent them a link to the Isbell song Yvette and asked them to give it a couple listens before class. I then began playing it and something like the following discussion ensued:
Professor: OK, did you like the Isbell song?
Students: Sort of. It was pretty vanilla, although he has a nice voice.
Professor: Vanilla?
Students: Yeah, it's sort of elevator music.
Professor: Hmmmmm, interesting. That's what you got out of it?
Students: [low murmur as they know that they've missed something] I mean, it was a nice song.
Professor: Nice, hmmmm. OK, is it beautiful?
Students: Well, yeah, like I said, he does have a nice voice . . .
Professor: What's it about?
Students: It's a love song.
Professor: A love song?
One particularly unfortunate student: Something like a love song. It's about a guy who loves this girl and he's excited about being welcomed into her family.
Professor: Really?
One particularly unfortunate student: Yeah, I felt a real connection to it. I had a very similar experience.
Professor: You had a very similar experience? Seriously, you had a very similar experience?
One particularly unfortunate student: [voice wavering] Yeah, sort of.
Students: Well, if it's not a love song what's it about?
Professor: It's about incest and molestation and abuse and probably cutting and murder.
Students: Jesus.
One particularly unfortunate student: Well, not exactly the same experience . . .
Professor: OK, now, is the song beautiful?
Female students: [en masse] Yes.
Male students: [mixed] He does have a nice voice.
Professor: And, children, this is why Plato thought democracy was a dumb idea.
Finally, I repeated this version, although obviously in a much shorter version on Twitter, and Jason Isbell tagged it with a Like.
Gary Beatrice
Jamey Johnson, Macon
I am as big a fan of Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson as anybody. Each of them are mining classic country but bringing their own passion, sensibility and personality to what they do. Their popularity gives me hope for the future of country music.
But for my tastes I'll take Jamey Johnson over each of them.
Johnson's recording career began in a more popular country vein, but he was obviously a Cash, Jennings fan who featured song writing chops and an incredible voice. By 2010's double album The Guitar Song, he was full bore alt country / Americana. I find the album riveting, compelling listening, and I am certain I've listened to it more than any other set released this decade.
The album includes about half dozen immediate classics, but to me Macon is the standout, primarily because of his voice and his powerhouse guitar climax.
I am as big a fan of Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson as anybody. Each of them are mining classic country but bringing their own passion, sensibility and personality to what they do. Their popularity gives me hope for the future of country music.
But for my tastes I'll take Jamey Johnson over each of them.
Johnson's recording career began in a more popular country vein, but he was obviously a Cash, Jennings fan who featured song writing chops and an incredible voice. By 2010's double album The Guitar Song, he was full bore alt country / Americana. I find the album riveting, compelling listening, and I am certain I've listened to it more than any other set released this decade.
The album includes about half dozen immediate classics, but to me Macon is the standout, primarily because of his voice and his powerhouse guitar climax.
Dave Wallace
Prince, It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night
Of
all the music icon deaths this year, Prince's has hit me the hardest.
I've been listening to him every day since he died, and it's really deepening
my appreciation for how amazing he was (which is something because I already
thought he was a genius!) The interesting thing is - I've never stopped
listening to Prince. Compared to a lot of artists that I use to love when
I was younger who I never listen to now, I would go back to Prince every few
months even before his death. For the last month, I've been doing a
really deep dive into Sign O' The Times and, mea culpa, I've totally underrated
that album. I always thought that it was terrific, but now I think that
it's his second best album after Purple Rain (which is a Top Ten all-timer
IMHO.)
This
glorious live funk jam is probably my favorite thing on the album. Of
course, Prince was notorious for not allowing his songs on-line , but that's
starting to get looser since he died. So, even though the version that
I've linked to is not the version on the album, it's still insane. If you
only watch one thing on-line today, you need to check it out. In fact, go
watch it right now. I'll wait . . . . Amazing, right?! Just pure,
unadulterated fun. It also shows off his skills as a bandleader (as well
as a drummer!). Great, great stuff.
Dave Mills
The Jayhawks, Quiet Corners and Empty Spaces (album: Paging Mr. Proust)
First of all, I had to include a track
from this album for this project if for no other reason than to honor Scudder’s
efforts at reading Proust this year. Apparently, the album includes actual
allusions to Proust as well as David Foster Wallace and others, but since it
dropped only about a month ago, I haven’t had time to really dig in and ferret
all those out. Gloriously, the CD jacket includes this actual 1891 photo of
Proust himself playing air guitar with a tennis racquet:
Beyond the Proustian connection and
assorted literary nerdist attractions, though, there are other reasons to
relish this album. First, there’s Gary Louris’ Toledo, OH upbringing, which
grounds the album in proper Midwestern rustbelt virtues. Next there’s the
production work of R.E.M.’s Peter Buck. And then there’s simply the fact that
another album from this band was never guaranteed, given the constant movement
of members in and out of this and other projects. So there’s a lot here to be
grateful for. And gratitude for this song in particular is
appropriate as well. It’s distinctively Jayhawks, it’s a good song for
introverts (such as myself), and there’s a subtle Picasso reference as well.
Enjoy.
Bob Craigmile
Lera, Lynn, The Only Thing Worth Fighting For
Everyone loved season one of True Detective on HBO and everyone hated season two. This
song was in season two and was almost a highlight of the whole thing. So
echoey and moody and sad. “Were we like a battlefield, locked inside a
holy war?” It really fit with the show which was just completely tragic
and not as bad as everyone said. The fact that I’ve got a little crush on
her doesn’t factor in AT ALL. Also, she’s from Georgia and got a big
break from T-Bone Burnett, both of which are nice.
Dave Kelley
Pearl Jam, Rearviewmirror
Apparently this song was inspired by Eddie Vedder's
physically abusive step-father and his mother who stood by while her
husband beat him. I have led a sheltered life and have never been a
victim of violence inside or outside my home and do not feel this kind of rage
towards anyone. I still really relate to the song.
There are a number of things to love about this
song. The impassioned vocals, the fiery guitar work, the way it builds to
a series of crescendos. What really makes the song special to me is
not the anger (which is very authentic and certainly deserved), but the
release and the freedom. The singer is not depressed or haunted. He
has clearly broken free from the people who hurt him. I find rock music,
especially loud rock music, to be extremely cathartic at its best, and I think
"Rearviewmirror" exemplifies that. The singer is still pissed
but has cut the chains that bound him to those people and that
experience. Jesse from Breaking Bad should have been singing this song
when he escaped from the Nazi Compound. :)
"I gather speed
from you fucking with me
Once and for all
I'm far away
I hardly believe
finally the shades are raised"
Once the song builds to its climax of "saw things so
much clearer once you were in my rearviewmirror", as a listener my blood
pressure is up and I feel alive. It doesn't have to be something as
traumatic as child abuse. Anyone who has been in your life that has
abused your trust or treated you poorly can be in your head when
listening. Or, you can just wail on your air guitar and check out your
awesomeness in the mirror.
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