Rhythm of the Void

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm on the verge of releasing a new album. For the first time, I'm putting it up for sale on BandCamp so you should buy it to support this poor college student. I'm also excited to premiere it on my radio show this evening on my radio show.

This is probably as close to liner notes as you'll find. Much of my beliefs of what an album is were outlined here. I wrote most of the songs this summer, though a few are older than that. I recorded on GarageBand which has its limitations but also its conveniences, namely that it's free and I can record in my own room with the equipment I have.

The sound is continuing the Beatles-y rock that I'm attached to. It's difficult to judge my own work but lyrically and musically, I think it's fairly consistent and interesting. Of course, I hear plenty of imperfections but I decided to be done when I said was done last weekend. It will never be totally satisfactory so I have to decide to draw the line when I do. And that's that. As long as I don't spend too much time comparing my music to music produced by my favorite artists, I should be fairly content.

Eight songs, just over half an hour long. I sang, played guitar, bass, drums, vibraphone, keyboards, ukulele, harmonica and slide whistle. The arrangements are somewhat varied though the song structures are fairly similar. Lyrically, I used a lot of religious imagery (no idea why) as well as ambiguous questioning stuff. I'm excited to release what I'll remember as my first actual "album." Hopefully there will be more to come!

Purpose

I don't know if you've noticed but the recurring theme of this blog for the last year or so is my own complaining/apologizing about not writing here as much as I'd like. Sure, there are tons of excuses. Namely, a) who actually cares? b) I have very little time c) there's a lack of content I'm passionate about. Writing in here has become another entry on my long to-do list.

Starting now, I'm changing things, for I don't like the current state of affairs. I have SSG to present my real music criticism work and this can stand as a laboratory. Here I shall try out new things. I keep a physical journal where I write spontaneously about whatever occurs to me or I think deserves being written about and this should be like that in the musical realm.

One piece of advice I've heard from just about every English teacher I've ever had is to write constantly. I enjoy writing and do it all different kinds of ways: journal entries, academic papers, music reviews, emails, what have you. This blog is also important in its unique function as my own personal property to be published. My stats tell me that this is getting read by some folks out there just about every day so it's worth keeping and delving into when I can.

There are many things to write about musically these days but I've found that setting aside a subject to write about later doesn't always work. Spontaneity is key. If I want to to write a manifesto on the genius of Tom Waits, I will just sit down and effing write it.

Music is on my mind all the time. If you know me at all, that's abundantly clear. But one thing I've learned recently is that working in binges can be effective. For example, tomorrow, I'm releasing my first solo album and in the recording process, there were three days where I recorded for at least six hours straight with no break. I originally planned on working an equal amount every day but that just flat out didn't work so I reverted to binging. That can be applied to this as well.

Enough theory. I write this for you, the reader. It's also for myself, to try and sort out my thoughts but in general, as with music I compose, I do it as a gift for other people, while aiming to satisfy myself with the result. I rarely am totally satisfied but it's the effort that matters. I suppose I should have some cohesive finale to this post about my own purpose for Page 43. Instead of saying what I am trying to do, I shall define what I am not trying to do: I'm not trying to change the world with innovative ideas; I'm not trying to have my own all-encompassing musical philosophy text. I only strive to express my thoughts and interest people with whatever happens to come out of my head and perhaps spur on more ideas.

2004

Gold Medal: Satanic Panic in the Attic by of Montreal

Sometimes, an album comes along that pushes all the right buttons. For me, this is that album. Clever isn’t a strong enough word to describe Kevin Barnes’ magnum opus; SPA is about the most fun one can have listening to music. Each song is loaded with hooks that fit together like a gloriously quirky jigsaw puzzle. I’ve written a more extensive review here but all in all, this album is one that is cemented among my favorite pop achievements.

Silver Medal: Funeral by Arcade Fire

Funeral is probably as close to “generation defining” as any recent album has come. Arcade Fire is one of the true hipster royalties and this is the main reason why. Powerful, thrilling and epic, Arcade Fire’s first full-length album became the blueprint for the future of indie rock and roll. Centered around the band members recently departed friends and family, Funeral came out of the ashes with a vengeance and then some. The “Neighborhood” songs, “Rebellion (Lies)”, “Crown of Love” the list of unforgettable tracks goes on. If you haven’t heard this, don’t admit it to anyone and get it on your iPod as soon as possible.

Bronze Medal: LP by Ambulance LTD

If the gold went to the ideal indie pop album and silver went to the ideal indie rock album, the bronze is a mixture of the two. LP starts out with the rockin’ instrumental “Yoga Means Union” and spends the next 52 minutes spanning between Beatle-esque melodies and edgy guitar distortion a la Built to Spill. The album is consistent from start to finish and packed with memorable tracks. It’s a shame that the group’s output never really went beyond this one diamond in the rough.

The Snapshot

It’s always interesting to me when creators write a sort of explanation to their creations. Whether it’s a writer, visual artist or musician, it seems that artists commonly write a sort of treatise on their work. Since I’m working on an album at this very moment, I thought it would be enjoyable and beneficial to make one of my own. Much of these ideas have been covered in earlier blog posts but I’m ploughing ahead anyway.

First and foremost, an album is a snapshot. Just like anything, it came to be thanks to a series of events. Songs are inspired my experiences or thoughts that happened to the writer around the time of the album. The artist should act as a photographer and capture as much as he can in one shot.

This isn’t to say that an album shouldn’t represent more than a particular time for a particular person. In fact, if that was all that the audience could possibly get from an album, then it would be a failure. However, the artist shouldn’t attempt anything more though the snapshot should naturally depict more than initially meets the eye. The interpretation belongs to the audience not the creator.

Nonetheless, the artist should keep the audience in mind in writing from his/her own experiences. The ultimate goal of art is to reach others through exploration of ones own expression. It’s not about screaming “Look what I did for you!” or “I don’t care what you think of what I did.” The middle path is the one that should be taken. The art should invite the listener into the artist’s world and hopefully connect somewhere along the way.

Finally, it is important to be a unique voice in the ongoing conversation of tradition. This goes back to drawing from one’s own experiences. No two people have the exact same history so therefore artists should be as varied as people are. The artist must respect those who came before him/her without modeling him/herself after any particular figure from the past.

THIS FEELS REALLY PRETENTIOUS BUT IT’S NOT. I PROMISE.

1974

Gold Medal: Natty Dread by Bob Marley and the Wailers

This has been my favorite reggae album since I first heard it. Released after Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh went their separate ways, this is the first album with Marley taking full creative control. Natty Dread is the perfect blending of the genre’s polar emotions: protest and chill. Underneath Marley’s incredible voice, the arrangements are top-notch, featuring incredible guitar work as well as horns and female background vocals. It’s captivating from being to end, never falling into the “all sounds the same” camp of so much reggae. Instead, the nine tracks fly by, with highlights like “No Woman, No Cry” and “So Jah Seh" representing the best Bob Marley ever recorded.

Silver Medal: No Other by Gene Clark

Better than anything the Byrds ever made, Gene Clark’s solo masterpiece is one of the most underappreciated albums in existence. After founding and later leaving the Byrds, Clark recorded a handful of country-tinged albums, culminating in this crowning achievement. What makes this album so fantastic is the perfect harnessing of energy with of every song. Each track starts out innocent and unassuming but blossoms into a gripping climax that sends shivers up the listener’s spine. Recorded impeccably with the help of Thomas Jefferson Kaye, the album is a wash of wonder. This is arguably the best country-rock has to offer.

Bronze Medal: Court and Spark by Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell’s first album with a full band, Court and Spark presents Joni stepping elegantly in to the world of jazz without leaving her singer/songwriter roots. One of the finest voices of her generation, Joni Mitchell proves herself here (as always) as a master storyteller who can get more emotion across in her music than just about anyone else. This album showcases a stellar cast of session musicians, mixed together brilliantly. After meticulously writing and recording the album, Joni produced her most commercially and critically successful album yet. It’s remarkable yet somehow unsurprising that she made such an ambitious jump seem so easy.

Rock Criticism from the Beginning: Amusers, Bruisers And Cool-Headed Cruisers

...is the name of the book I am now reading in preparation for my culminating degree project at PLU, known as the capstone. My intention is to read the book, do further research on a specific part, write a paper, and present my findings in April or May. The book is very dense (written by three PhDs) and is about much more than history. Only fifty some pages in, I've gotten a healthy dose of Kantian taste theory as well the "field logic" of Pierre Bordieu. I'm having to deal with the paradox of scholarly study in the fairly anti-academic world of rock, but what the heck. That's nothing new to me. This book is sure to inspire new thoughts about this critical world I'm engulfed in and I'll try to explore them right here.

Things are going swimmingly at SSGMusic, thanks for asking. Here is a link to all I've done for them thus far. I plan to review my first concerts in October. Most exciting part: getting to present press passes to the bouncers and turn brawny ogres into obsequious gnomes. Okay, this may be an exaggeration but I am indeed stoked for going free to shows. SSG is also responsible tons of help with my writing skills. Specifically the brutally honest album review supervisor Justin Spicer.

This weekend should also kick off two of my favorite musical pursuits. I've been saying this for awhile but I AM going to start recording an album soon. I've plenty of songs in the tank; I just need to open GarageBand, turn on the microphone and say no to distractions. My second commencement will be for the second and final season of my radio show, "Disconnect the Dots." If you read these words, you better tune in this and/or any Saturday at 6:00. Let me know if you're going to listen and I'll give you a shout out!

2003

Gold Medal: Hail to the Thief by Radiohead

Let's face it. If I keep up with this blog, Radiohead is going to be at the top of a whole bunch of these lists. They are so far above any other modern band and Hail to the Thief is just one more momentous achievement. The longest Radiohead album, this is a glorious combination of Kid A-esque electronica with guitar brilliance present throughout the quintet's career. It isn't the best Radiohead record but it contains some of the best songs they've ever recorded. "There There (The Bony King of Nowhere)" is just about as good as it gets. Thank God for Radiohead.

Silver Medal: Dear Catastrophe Waitress by Belle and Sebastian

Though clearly not trying to change the world like Radiohead, Belle and Sebastian is one of the most consistently great bands of the last 15 years. This record is filled with indie pop gems, recorded with the sort of high fidelity lacking on If Your Feeling Sinister, and nearly as phenomenal as that 1996 twee landmark. This is an album that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face without coming across as naive. "I'm a Cuckoo", "Stay Loose", "If She Wants Me" are all easily in the top ten B&S songs.

Bronze Medal: Magnolia Electric Company by Songs: Ohia

The all-American album of the decade, this record is a powerhouse. Jason Molina's project is the soundtrack to the landscape of the heartland. Eight songs that never resemble filler, Magnolia Electric Company is a blueprint for every guitar-slinging, Neil Young worshipping, rebel-rousing, prospective rock star. Guided by the visionary Molina, the band just nails everything. Every slide guitar lick, every drum fill feels so perfect. Get this gem.