“Land of the Living” by Matthew Perryman Jones
I’ve posted on MPJ before. He’s a wonderful combination of songwriter, singer, and conduit. And here he is with a great new album. And there’s a tone and hue to everything he records that’s both familiar (like food you don’t have to chew to digest) and intriguing (like a word that you don’t know the meaning and are compelled to learn).
I read that this song, O Theo, was written about Vincent van Gogh’s letters to his brother, Theo. It’s a lonely and sorrowful song, beautiful and aching.
“So, I set fires of starlight to burn up against the despair. I was caught in the tangles of midnight’s long, unanswered prayer: Are you there?”
I came across this incredible site that presents van Gogh’s letters in a very organized and annotated way: vangoghletters.org
I recommend diving in if you’re interested at all in van Gogh history. I’ve just begun to read them.
And this week, Blood:Water Mission is giving Land of the Living with a $10 donation: www.mpjmusic.com/donate-and-download
