“Portico Quartet” by Portico Quartet
21
Jan 12
A suspended moment in time
“Interlude for Piano” by Peter Bradley Adams
Every once in a while, you find a moment in time that’s frozen and stuck. A suspended piece of time that seems to exist forever, never ending. Slowly drawn out, resisting the clock.
It’s moments like that in which time stretches out as far as the mind can see in both directions. And you float on what feels like air. Suspended.
Speaking of Peter Bradley Adams…
28
Dec 11
Go and get some wings
“Worrywort” by Radiohead
Arguably, Radiohead has had the best b-sides since the Beatles. Worrywort is like the suspended moment between alternate dimensions, the hanging decision when facing the fork in the road.
“There’s no use dwelling on, on what might have been.”
And, with a beautiful clarity, it softens the confusion and self-doubt.
“We know the way you talk. We know what you want. What you really want.”
And reminds you that the future can be as promising as it can be intimidating.
“It’s such a beautiful day. Find yourself a moment and go and get some wings.”
Speaking of Radiohead having the best b-sides…
29
Nov 11
FIF Back from the dead
A resurrected Five Iron Frenzy. A wildly successful fundraising campaign (do the math). A new album. The tease of a new tour. A free single. Right on.
Right on.
28
Nov 11
Trent Dabbs is pretty cool.
The king of side projects (Ten Out Of Tenn) hits with another one (a very interesting revival style) with Amy Stroup.
11
Nov 11
Pop Brilliant: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon
Paul Simon’s possibly my favorite songwriter. Top five, for sure. And this is my favorite of his songs, for very personal reasons. See, there’s no better song for dancing around the house with your daughter on Saturday morning than this brilliant song about, well, dancing and falling in love.
It’s perfect in every way a song need be perfect. Try to resist dancing and singing. Try to resist smiling about someone you love. This is a song for those who dance and those who love and those who dance with those they love.
Go dance with someone.
25
Oct 11
The Goat Rodeo Sessions
“Goat Rodeo Sessions” by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile
Oh, this looks awesome.
12
Oct 11
The stranger in the mirror is wearing my clothes
“Thrive” by Switchfoot
Speaking of the stranger in the mirror wearing my clothes…
22
Sep 11
I know you may dance perfectly…
“Best Thing For Me” by Release the Sunbird
Take a dull, dingy, noisy subway station and add a moment of beautiful sweetness. Just like life, we have these pockets of beauty in what is often mundane.
“Well I know you may dance perfectly. I have two left feet, but you’re always the best thing for me.”
Just right for a subway station, your dreary commute, or an evening drive.
Speaking of Release the Sunbird…
16
Sep 11
Pop Brilliant: Try to see things my way
“We Can Work It Out” by Stevie Wonder
I love Beatles covers. While they’re not all good, I love to hear how people interpret some of the best songs ever written. And my favorite of them all is what Stevie Wonder does with We Can Work It Out. Hands down.
That’s a groove. That’s the way to cover a song: Retain critical elements of the original while giving it something it didn’t have before. And, if I may be so bold, I prefer Stevie’s version to Paul and John’s. Sorry, I just think it takes an ordinary Beatles song (brilliant by any other standard) and makes it a killer Stevie Wonder song.
But it’s not my favorite Stevie Wonder song. This is:
“Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand.” Right on!
Speaking of a world within itself…
“Just because a record has a groove don’t make it in the groove.”
