2017 was a long and stressful year, mostly because my country, my home, was overtaken by an incredibly incompetent and disingenuous human being (I can't even say his name), along with a political party that enables every indecent act. The result of the last Presidential election has brought us into a nightmare of incomparable proportions. All of our political fears have been dumped upon our heads and so many of us are cowering in fear. It's been a shock and the destruction of our bright future has caused our hearts to flutter in unhealthy ways. There's no mistaking the despair so many Americans feel but our resolve is powerful. We will get through this mockery of our democracy, one way or the other.
A way that I find productive is to grind against the anxiety with the power of music. So I have compiled a mix that embodies all of the feelings that I've gone through over the past year. From the moment of anguish that came that fateful November day to my desire for a better tomorrow. Take a trip with me.
SOTW - EP14
01. Modest Mouse - Shit Luck
02. The Sounds - Living In America
03. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Terrified
04. Tapes 'n Tapes - Freak Out
05. Portugal. The Man - So American
06. Talk Talk - Such A Shame
07. Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
08. Anais Mitchell - Why We Build The Wall
09. Adia Victoria - Invisible Hands
10. The Savages - Evil
11. The Black Angels - Bad Vibrations
12. Built To Spill - Things Fall Apart
13. The Clash - Straight To Hell
14. The Heartless Bastards - Down In The Canyon
15. Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
16. Ladyhawke - Dangerous
17. Daughter - Burn It Down
18. Rage Against The Machine - Sleep Now In The Fire
19. Sleater-Kinney - A New Wave
20. Weaves - Scream
21. Invincible - Locusts
22. The Roots -How I Got Over
23. Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings - This Land Is Your Land
24. Bodies Of Water - New World
25. The Breeders - We're Gonna Rise
26. INXS - Shine Like It Does
27. Massive Attack - Protection
28. Thievery Corporation - Tomorrow
One last mix to end the year with the joy of music. It's been a hard 52 weeks and even though it's ending on a sour note, as I've been sick for three weeks straight, one of the few things that have helped me through is the sound of music. I hope that 2018 brings us many more blessings.
SOTW - EP13
01. Destroyer - Kaputt
02. The Stranglers - Skin Deep
03. Thunderball - The Heart of the Hustler
04. The Dining Rooms - Maria
05. Gotan Project - Last Tango In Paris
06. Kaytranada - Glowed Up (feat. Anderson .Paak)
07. Jill Scott - Not Like Crazy
08. Massive Attack - Three
09. Koop - Absolute Space
10. Juana Molina - Estalactitas
11. Lonely Drifter Karen - Hunters To Heaven's Wild
12. Al Green - I Can't Get Next To You
13. Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
14. Hospitality - Rockets and Jets
15. Echo and the Bunnymen - Higher Hell
16. Mothers - It Hurts Until It Doesn't
17. Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man - Tom the Model
18. Helado Negro - Runaround
19. Creature Speaks - My Wolf / My Ghost
20. Mirah and Thao Nguyen - Sugar and Plastic
21. Lali Puna - Alienation
22. Agnes Obel - Smoke and Mirrors
23. Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat
24. The Weather Station - Loyalty
25. Dire Straits - Fad To Black
26. Emiliana Torrini - Autumn Sun
27. Frida Hyvonen - Once I Was a Serene Teenage Child
28. 13Ghosts - Riverside
One of the best aspects of listening to music that I enjoy is having a dialogue with others, hearing what they're listening to and why, wondering if someone's perspective is going to change the way that I look at a genre or an act that I may have dismissed before, even being reminded about a band that I may have forgotten about. There's always a new way to look at the world and music is one of the most refreshing ways for us to do that. Hopefully this new mix does that for some of you. Enjoy!
SOTW - EP12
01. Sharon Van Etten - Our Love
02. Chairlift - Crying In Public
03. Yuna - Lights and Camera
04. Washed Out - Burn Out Blues
05. Zero 7 - This Fine Social Scene
06. CLASSIXX - Jozi's Fire
07. Saint Etienne - Girl VII
08. Stereolab - Margerine Melodie
09. The Juan Maclean - The Future Will Come
10. KiD CuDi - Heart of a Lion
11. Goldfrapp - Anymore
12. Skylar Spence - Private Caller
13. Jamiroquai - Dr. Buzz
14. Jazmine Sullivan - Dumb (feat. Meek Mill)
15. Lamb - In Binary
16. Beyonce - Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
17. Portugal. The Man - Number One (feat. Richie Havens and Son Little)
18. Melody Gardot - Preacherman
19. Nicoaly - Let It Shine for Me
20. Digable Planets - Graffiti
21. Black Milk - Sonny Jr. (feat. Robert Glaspar and Dwele)
22. Thievery Corporation - Let the Chalice Blaze
23. Boards of Canada - 1969
24. Bonobo - Towers (feat. Szjerdene)
25. Everything but the Girl - Good Cop Bad Cop
26. Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl
27. Rhye - Last Dance
When I graduated high school, my life became my own. I was suddenly responsible for my actions, for my purpose, for how I viewed the world. For a few years I had an amazing growing awareness of the power of music but nothing had prepared me for this new beginning. Then, one day I was lying on my bed in my dorm room and I read about an album that just came out by the Pixies. I had no what they sounded like but the way it was described in this article clutched at me. I immediately went out and got the album, Dollittle, and laid it down for my ears. The song Debaser kicked it off and it was so strange. I didn't know what to make of it. It had so much energy, so alive in my heart but it was kind of a mess, discordant and melodic at the same time. Little did I know but that would grow into the sound of a generation, for me and for so many others as we navigated our twenties in the apathetic nineties. Many of those songs can be found in this mix, bands that we're instrumental in keeping me grounded during a difficult and tumultuous time in my life.
This is the second installment of my efforts to capture an era.
SOTW - EP11
01. Pixies - Debaser
02. REM - Orange Crush
03. Hoodoo Gurus - A Place in the Sun
04. Cracker - Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)
05. The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned
06. Concrete Blonde - God Is A Bullet
07. Throwing Muses - Hook In Her Head
08. Curve - The Colour Hurts
09. The Heart Throbs - Dreamtime
10. Primal Scream - Movin' On Up
11. The Flaming Lips - Turn It On
12. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
13. The Breeders - Cannonball
14. Daisy Chainsaw - Love Your Money
15. The Darling Buds - It Makes No Difference
16. Pavement - In the Mouth of the Desert
17. Turkey Mallet - Broken Boy
18. Massive Attack - Safe From Harm
19. Portishead - Sour Times
20. Saint Etienne - Like A Motorway
21. Leonard Cohen - Everybody Knows
22. The Connells - Stone Cold Yesterday
23. Belly - Feed the Tree
24. The Replacements - I'll Be You
25. The Pale Saints - Thread of Light
26. Camper Van Beethoven - Sweethearts
27. The Sundays - Here's Where the Story Ends
28. Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
29. The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored.
We're back! It's been a long spring...a very long spring. Whew! I'm ready for a relaxing summer filled with good news, good weather, good friends and good music. Here's the first mix of 2017 but expect more in the near future. Now, kick back and unload the stress. Here's to all the blessings that life has to offer.
Salud!
SOTW - EP10
01. Hindi Zahra - Un Jour
02. Feist - The Simple Story
03. Kadjha Bonet - Honeycomb
04. Lapsley - Silverlake
05. Nite Jewel - You Now
06. Styrofoam - Misguided
07. The XX - Replica
08. Wye Oak - Fish
09. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Finishing Jubilee Street
10. Bodies of Water - Was It You?
11. Scout Niblett - No Scrubs
12. Sarah Jarosz - Shankill Butchers
13. Portugal. The Man - New Orleans
14. Midnight Pine - Mother of Amends
15. Luna - The Old Fashoined Way
16. Spoon - Out Go the Lights
17. Grandaddy - Miner at the Dial-A-View
18. Tennis - Baby Don't Believe
19. Sharon Van Etten - Taking Chances
20. Lady Lamb the Beekeepr - Spat Out Spit
21. Big Thief - Masterpiece
22. Adia Victoria - Invisible Hands
23. Ancient Warfare - The Last Living Trial
24. Lord Huron - In the Wind
25. Phoebe Killdeer & the Short Straws - Fade Out Lines
26. Warpaint - Dre
27. Britta Phillips - Drive
28. Valerie June - Shotgun
Twenty years ago, Christina and I shared our first Valentine's together. I must admit that I never imagined that our twentieth would be just as wonderful as that first one. I didn't even know if we would even have a second one, to be honest, but I can say with all of my heart that I am so happy to be here celebrating with the love of my life.
This Valentine's Day, let's embrace those that we love. Let's hold them in our hearts and let them know how much they mean to us. I love you, Christina, now and forever. I love...
SOTW - EP09 (Heart)
01. Johnny Cash - The First Time Ever I saw Your Face
02. Austra - You Changed My life
03. Warpaint - By Your Side
04. Caribou - Can't Do Without You
05. Lamb - Gorecki
06. Gotan Project - Tu Misterio
07. Dario Marianelli - She Is of the Heavens
08. Chromatics - I Want Your Love
09. Washed Out - You & I
10. Small Black - Breathless
11. Chungking - Come With Me
12. Feist - Inside and Out
13. Yuna - Favorite Thing
14. Camera Obscura - This Is Love (Feels Alright)
15. Camper Van Beethoven - One of These Days
16. Jolie Holland - All the Love
17. Heartless Bastards - Only for You
18. Midnight Pine - Always
19. Hindi Zahra - Oursoul
20. Mulatu Astatke - I Can't Live Without You
21. Milosh - You Fill Me
22. Al Green - I'm Still In Love With You
23. John Coltrane - I Love You
24. Bill Evans Trio - Beautiful Love (Take 1)
25. Lucinda Williams - Sweet Love
26. The Watson Twins - Only You
27. Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats
28. Amy Winehouse - (There Is) No Greater Love
29. Tord Gustavsen Quartet - Devotion
It's been a wild few weeks for me and the ride has been far from pleasant. I'm working hard to overcome my own negativity and one of the ways that I'm able to accomplish that difficult task is by listening to good music. So, here's my final mix for 2016 and here's to many more in the days ahead, as we continue to battle demons, within and without.
SOTW - EP08
01. Gotan Project - Amor Porteno
02. Blood Orange - Hadron Collider
03. The Flaming Lips - The Observer
04. CocoRosie - Raphael
05. FKA Twiggs - Kicks
06. James Blake - Always
07. Funki Porcini - Robert Crumb's Natural Gait
08. Nicolas Jaar - Keep Me there
09. Riton - Communicated
10. Warpaint - New Song
11. Bat For Lashes - Sunday Love
12. The Juan Maclean - Running Back to You
13. Trentmoller - Moan (vocal version feat. Ane Trolle)
14. Underworld - Ova Nova
15. Caia - Heavy Weather
16. CLASSIXX - Long Lost (feat. Active Child)
17. Thievery Corporation - Le Monde
18. The Detroit Experiment - Highest
19. Broun Fellinis - Dreamstate
20. Santigold - Run to the Races
21. Curren$y - Prioritize (feat. Nesby Phips)
22. Taken By Trees - Indigo Dub
23. Ambrose Akinmusire - Henya
24. Homelife - Firefly
25. Zero 7 - In Time
26. Stacey Kent - Les Vacances au Bor
27. Sade - Turn My Back on You
28. Feist - How My Heart Behaves
This mix took awhile but there's a special purpose for this one. This is a workout mix. Strap on your tennies and take some time out of your day to work up a sweat. It's the perfect time to get healthy. So get with it, people! Embrace life with enthusiasm!
SOTW - EP07
01. Disclosure - When a Fire Starts to Burn
02. Fujiya & Miyagi - Collarbone
03. Jamiroquai - Little L
04. Shamir - Head in the Clouds
05. Thunderball - Scorpio
06. Escort - Why Oh Why
07. MEN - Club Thang
08. Moloko - Sing It Back (Mouse T's Fell Love mix)
09. Gerad Langella - No Te Quiero
10. Everything but the Girl - Future of the Future (Stay Gold with Deep Dish)
11. Nortec Collective - Casino Soul
12. Junior Senior - Move Your Feet (DJ Osos Krost remix)
13. Handsome Furs - What About Us
14. C.S.S. -Let's Reggae All Night
15. Dubtribe Sound System - Do It Now
16. Lazy Dog - Jazzy Kinda Sm'n
17. Miguel Migs - Tonight (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)
18. Thievery Corporation - Dance On Vaseline
19. Brand New Heavies - Bang
20. Boards of Canada - Palace Posy
21. Bajofondo - Cristal
22. Estere - Curtains Down
23. Bill Evans Trio - Come Rain or Come Shine
After listening to this playlist, my sixth, I realized that it doesn't get more honest about the way I listen to music than what we have here. I always have a weird mix of various genres, older tunes, new stuff and random tidbits. There's different styles but it also flows together really well. If I hooked up my mp3 player and pressed shuffle, it would not be surprising to hear this exact mix for the next two hours.
SOTW - EP06
01. Austra - Darken Her Horse
02. Mac DeMarco - Salad Days
03. Cat Power - Cherokee
04. Shout Out Louds - Hermilia
05. Wye Oak - School of Eyes
06. The Fiery Furnaces - Sing for Me
07. EMA - 3Jane
08. Chromatics - Bell
09. Lamb - Heaven
10. Thao & the Get Down, Stay Down - Endless Love
11. Alpine - In the Wild
12. Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - Skeleton Key
13. Hospitality - Sleepover
14. Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton - Doctor Blind
15. Ray LaMontagne - Empty
16. Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers - Country Blues
17. Cotton Jones - By Morning Light
18. Calexico - Inspiracion
19. Eilen Jewell - Rio Grande
20. Neko Case - The Pharaohs
21. Cracker - The Golden Age
22. Pinback - Crutch
23. The Flaming Lips - Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell
24. Polica - Fish on the Griddle
25. Phlo Finister - No More
26. His Name Is Alive - Your Cheating Heart
27. Everything but the Girl - Downhill Racer
28. AA Bondy - Drmz
29. Four Tet - Parks
Every time I listen to "Replay" by the Visioneers, I think about the journey I've taken over the years with music. It's always had a strong affect on me and I can go back to certain songs at certain times in my life and still feel certain emotions that were a crucial expression of who I was at that moment. It can be a visceral experience that is enjoyable and strange and awkward and interesting. So, I've decided that, as part of this series, I'm going to use this song by the Visioneers to replay some of those times in my life, to capture an era, as it were.
Here's my first attempt.
SOTW - EP05
01. Visioneers - Replay (feat. Voice)
02. The Stranglers - Always the Sun
03. The Church - Under the Milky Way
04. 10,000 Maniacs - Don't Talk
05. R.E.M. - Fall On Me
06. O.M.D. - Secret
07. INXS - Original Sin
08. The Jesus & Mary Chain - April Skies
09. Echo & the Bunnymen - Lips Like Sugar
10. New Order - True Faith
11. Figures On A Beach - No Stars
12. Pet Shop Boys - Suburbia
13. The Connells - Scotty's Lament
14. The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
15. Shriekback - Gunning for the Buddha
16. Simple Minds - Alive and Kicking
17. Icehouse - Crazy
18. XTC - Dear God
19. The Northern Pikes - Things I Do for Money
20. The Silencers - Painted Moon
21. The Call - I Don't Wanna
22. Stan Ridgeway - Drive, She Said
23. Hoodoo Gurus - Out That Door
24. Guadalcanal Diary - Litany (Life Goes On)
25. The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues
26. The Clash - Straight To Hell
27. The Alarm - Spirit Of '76
28. The Replacements - Skyway
I hope that these segments of music have been enjoyable and are providing at least some entertainment. I tend to find that my musical preferences tend to gravitate slowly, like an iceberg shifting across the landscape. I may find myself obsessing over a certain genre or musical act for months at a time. If that is somehow reflected in these episodes, my only wish is that what you hear isn't tiresome or dull. Feel free to let me know if that's the case and I'll try to change things up a bit.
Take care and may your aural landscape be a blessing.
SOTW - EP04
01. Fingertwister - Night Stroll
02. Hospitality - Going Out
03. Junip - Line Of Fire
04. Luna - Dear Diary
05. Islands - Devout
06. Stars - The Ghost of Geneva Heights
07. Club 8 - You Could Be Anybody
08. Simple Minds - Swimming Towards the Sun
09. The Knife - Bird
10. Koop - Glmvd
11. Chairlift - No Such Thing As Illusion
12. Daughter - To Belong
13. Birdy Bardot - Treading Water
14. Calla - Strangler
15. Heartless Bastards - The Arrow Killed the Beast
16. Magnolia Electric Co. - The Night Shift Lullaby
17. Rebecca Gates - Lure and Cast
18. Trixie Whitley - Fourth Corner
19. Ursula Rucker - Broken
20. Andrea Parker - Clutching At Straws
21. St. Germain - Montego Bay Spleen
22. 9 Lazy 9 - Electric Lazyland
23. Milosh - Leaving Samui
24. Jens Lekman - So This Guy At My Office
25. Roma di Luna - Fortune Teller
26. Micah P. Hinson - Don't Leave Me Now
Here's the new mix. Hope that it brings much joy into all of your lives. Take care.
SOTW - EP03
01. Jocelyn Pook - Yellow Fever Psalm
02. Josh Rouse - 1972
03. Eilen Jewel - Sweet Rose
04. The Bird & The Bee - Witch
05. Yuna - Fading Flower
06. The Concretes - A Way Of Life
07. Feist - How Come You Never Go There
08. Emiliana Torrini - Heard It All Before
09. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Dragon Queen
10. Metric - Fortunes
11. Gayngs - Faded High
12. Grizzly Bear - Yet Again
13. Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box
14. Ume - Chase It Down
15. Portugal. The Man - Mornings
16. Ratatat - Montanita
17. Mos Def - May December
18. Erykah Badu - Twinkle
19. Thad Sneed - Baby Come Werk
20. Toro y Moi - You Hid
21. Cantoma - Overtime
22. The Dining Rooms - Maria
23. FKA Twiggs - Hours
24. Daughter - Youth
25. Bodies Of Water - Rise Up, Careful
26. Espers - Daughter
27. Yo La Tengo - Don't Have To Be So Sad
Come hang out with us for a couple hours. It's a beautiful night out on the porch, the sky falling through silver water, a reflection of stars peeking through the shade. We'll share a drink, some gentle talk and behind it all...a wonderful blend of music.
SOTW - EP02
01. Quantic & Alice Russell - Similau
02. Jill Scott - Prepared
03. Iyeoka - Simply Falling
04. Lia Ices - How We Are
05. Mum - A Little Bit, Sometimes
06. Killer Mike - Untitled (feat. Scar)
07. Black Mountain - Defector
08. Tapes 'n Tapes - George Michael
09. Kristen Hersh - Clay Feet
10. Wye Oak - We Belong
11. Ilya - Baalbec
12. Pinback - Walters
13. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dreamsicle Bomb
14. Empress Of - Need Myslef
15. Chelsea Wolfe - Friedrichshain
16. Ancient Warfare - Dreamcatcher
17. Invincible - Keep Goin (feat. Wordsworth & Indeed)
18. Midlake - The Old and the Young
19. Everything But The Girl - No Difference
20. Miho Hitari - Today Is Like That
21. Norah Jones - Not Too Late
22. Christian Scott - When Marissa Stands Her Ground
23. Souljazz Orchestra - Agbara
24. The Stepkids - Legend In My Own Mind
25. Primal Scream - Sad and Blue
26. Camera Obscura - Before You Cry
27. Lianne La Havas - Empty (In Paris)
28. Tom Waits - Fannin Street
29. Eleni Karaindrou - Closed Roads
I love music. So, I wanted to start a music series that represents the sweet blessing of aural bliss that I cherish. This is what you might hear when you come over and share a couple of hours with us in our living room. It's Wade Radio, or Wadio, and I hope that you all enjoy this special blend of music.
SOTW - EP01
01. The Clash - Guns of Brixton
02. The Rosebuds - Silence by the Lakeside
03. Purple Penguin - Dust
04. Tosca - Honey
05. Bonobo - Don't Wait
06. Foreign Exchange - Nic's Groove
07. The Philadelphia Experiment - Trouble Man Theme
08. Dornik - Drive
09. Nite Jewel - No I Don't
10. Ibeyi - Oya
11. Dire Straits - Ride Across the River
12. Ween - A Tear for eddie
13. Yo La Tengo - No Water
14. Samantha Crain - Kathleen
15. Jolie Holland - June
16. Kings of Convenience - Rule My World
17. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lay and Love
18. Little Joy - With Strangers
19. Mazzy Star - Into Dust
20. Creature Speaks - Outro (Home)
21. Mirah - Fleetfoot Ghoat
22. Flying Lotus - Auntie's Lock/Infinitum (feat. Laura Darlington)
23. Sylvan Esso - Uncatena
24. The Tamlins - Baltimore
25. Massive Attack - Spying Glass
26. Groove Armada - Join Hands
27. Zero 7 - Out of Town
28. Nouvelle Vague - Guns of Brixton
Here's a list of my favorite music from 2015. It's taken me a lot longer than I expected and instead of the traditional list of albums, I decided to simply put together an epic mix for your listening pleasure. I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I did.
Best of 2015
1. Shigeto - Miss U
2. Jamie XX - Girl
3. Caribou - Can't Do Without You
4. The Juan Maclean - Love Stops Here
5. Azealia Banks - 212 (feat. Lazy Jay)
6. Yelle - Toho
7. Shamir - Vegas
8. Miguel Migs - The Distance (feat. Aya)
9. Saint Pepsi - Skylar Spence
10. Music Go Music - Shine Down Forever
11. Wilsen - Sea To Sea (Wye Oak remix)
12. Broken Bells - The Changing Light
13. Modest Mouse - The Ground Walks, With Time In A Box
14. Ex Hex - Beast
15. Wolf Alice - You're A Germ
16. Sleater Kinney - Fangless
17. Courtney Barnett - Elevator Operator
18. Built To Spill - On The way
19. Mac DeMarco - Without Me
20. Death Cab For Cutie - Black Sun
21. Yuna - Mountains
22. Ancient Warfare - Gunsmoke
23. Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas - Over
24. Kera & The Lesbians - Gypsy Song
25. Hundred Waters - Cavity
26. Estere - Reptilian Journey
27. THEESaisfaction - EarthEE
28. D'Angelo & The Vanguard - Prayer
29. Curtis Harding - Freedom
30. Leon Bridges - Lisa Sawyer
31. Hindi Zahra - Can We Dance
32. Ibeyi - Ghosts
33. Blonde Redhead - Penultimo
34. Metric - The Governess
35. Heartless Bastards - Gates Of Dawn
36. Amanda Shires - Devastate
37. Calexico - Beneath The City Of Dreams
38. Alabama Shakes - Gemini
39. Eilen Jewell - Down The Road
40. Zoe Muth - Somebody I Know
41. Midnight Pine - Tears
42. Waxahatchee - Air
43. Beirut - Fener
44. French For Rabbits - Spirits
45. Melody Gardot - Don't Talk
46. Roisin Murphy - Exile
47. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Shame (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid)
We finally received "Mad Max: Fury Road" from the library and to say that I was really excited to watch it is an understatement. It has been universally praised all year as not only one of the best movies of the year, but one of the greatest action films of all time. It's been nominated for Best Picture at practically every awards ceremony out there, with George Miller being nominated for Best Director, as well. It's been a long time since a movie has been this hyped up. Pretty much everyone in the film world has great things to say about it, across both the mainstream establishment and independent critics.
So let's get at it then. Is "Mad Max: Fury Road" a great movie, as everyone has proclaimed?
The movie is a ridiculous spectacle, a video game transported to the big screen with comic book sensibilities. It's a delirious cinematic thrill ride, if there ever was one, a fun-filled feast of entertainment bonanza. The action is impressive, with incredible stunts and seamless editing. It must be extremely difficult to film these sequences and keep them in order, so that everything makes perfect sense, as these maniacal machines careen around the desert at vicious speeds. There's a fine line between making that aspect of an action film appear professional or amateurish. George Miller and company get it right. It's an impressive display, exciting and immersive...for about 30 minutes. Then I became numb to it and found it a bit tiresome. So, Fury Road is basically an action movie that is 1 1/2 hours too long.
I know that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, so far, but let me point out one other part of the film that is truly outstanding. It's Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa. Her presence on the screen almost makes watching this entire film worth it. It's wonderful to see a badass woman take control of the situation and battle a storm of oppressive forces bent on destroying her. And Theron embodies every ounce of emotion this movie is attempting to convey; in her eyes, in her movements, her body language, her essence. Without her this movie would be a total bust.
It seems like the entire film community would agree with me on this point because everything that I have read about Fury Road is quick to point out its feminist spirit. That's completely due to Theron's performance in the film, nothing else. It's true that Miller placed her in the midst of this crazy world, and props for convincing the actress to take part, but he does everything possible to undermine this feminist agenda that so many critics out there wish to applaud. I know, it's hard to believe that an old white guy might have trouble presenting a feminist perspective but it happens to be true in this case.
First, the introduction of every other woman in the film is problematic. The mother's who milk are all overweight cows being used like animals, not an ounce of humanity here. The beautiful breeders are introduced in typical spring break beer commercial fashion, with bikinis and wet t-shirts galore, strictly presented for the male gaze, embodied in our omniscient narrator, Max Rockatansky. The Vulvalini, name pretty much says it all, are a bunch of feminist shrews who are actually too dumb to protect themselves, as our perfect man is quick to point out.
Then, after all is said and done, after Furiosa has her heroic moment destroying the big bad symbol of patriarchy, she must then be saved by Max, of course. Not the women who know her well, or even one of the nurturing Vulvalini, the many mothers who might possibly know a thing or two about human medical care, having survived so long together in this apocalyptic wasteland. No, it's the police officer who saves the day, the lone silent reluctant wanderer who just needs a purpose and has finally found it in this moment. Because, really, this is Max's story, after all, a tale of love. Furiosa can't die because she means something to him. He's even told her his name, allowing her this intimate connection. He'll even give his blood for her, his heart mingling with hers in such glorious redemption. No, Furiosa's great story isn't really feminist at all because it ultimately comes down to her connection with Max, her great white male savior. Only the oldest most patriarchal story ever told.
So, after taking away the feminist angle of our film, what do we have left? A barrage of car chase explosion porn and that's about it. Sure, it may be fun and exciting and gripping and totally awesome, but can we stop pretending that it's anything more than a movie for the teenage boy in all of us. Is it really worth all the critical accolades and awards ceremonies? I tell you what comes to my mind when I see it being nominated at the Academy Awards, over amazing films like Todd Haynes's "Carol" or Cary Fukunaga's "Beasts of No Nations", when I see it being universally praised by practically every critic in this country, intelligent or not. It suddenly makes a lot of sense that Donald Trump is leading in the polls. I'm sure that he loved this movie and totally identified with Big Daddy Immortan Joe. Hell, he probably even got a few pointers on how to run America.
"Mad Max: Fury Road" is no grand work of art. It isn't the shiny chrome expression of perfection delivering us to hallowed halls of action film valhalla. No, with the famous words of Immortan Joe, it's really just "mediocre".
During the holidays, we decided to take in the quintessential christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life". It's been awhile since I've seen it and the emotional resonance affected me deeply as I watched it with my family. What is it about this film that makes it so beloved? Why does it have such a lasting affect on our American conscience? These were some of the the thoughts that swept through my mind as the credits rolled.
It is now 2016 and the United States of America is a country in turmoil. Everywhere we look, we find conflict: mass shootings, racism, corruption, attacks on women, greed, environmental degradation, anger, hate. So many of us are wondering, "How did this come to be?" Not only that but, "What can we do about it?" It's easy to feel like we are powerless against the onslaught of despair.
In a way, our nation is at a crucial turning point. We are a lot like George Bailey, standing on the bridge while we look down into the turbulent waters, wondering if we should just jump and allow the chaos to consume us. But if we do, what will become of our great nation? What will happen to all of the goodwill our beautiful system has created over the years? Right now, it's so important for us to take to heart the valuable message of this wonderful film. There's a reason that we love to turn it on when we are surrounded by those we love.
It's about the value of community, about caring for the livelihood of your neighbor. It's about making a place where everyone has an opportunity to thrive, so that we all can create a life of value. It's about embracing the spirit of compassion and finding the courage to stand up to the exploitation of authoritarianism. It's truly a movie about cherishing the value of democracy, the very heart of what we believe to be the American experience.
Unfortunately, as we look around today, our American culture doesn't seem to reflect this lofty human ideal. Instead it looks a lot more like the world Henry F. Potter built, the world as it was without George in it. Too many of us are suffering. There's an abundance of misery. That's because we have allowed the negative influences of greed, anger and intolerance to control the outcome. By rejecting the fundamental tenet that all lives are sacred, we have created this crazy place. And by remaining ignorant to the power of our own thoughts and deeds, we continue to embody the pain of the world.
But the most sublime message of "It's a Wonderful Life" is the simple truth that each of us has tremendous power. It only takes one person to create incredible change in the world. The true spirit of democracy is not something that is given to us by the leaders of our country. The beauty of a democratic society lies in the heart of the people, when they embody that spirit within their lives. When each and every one of us takes this message to heart, only then will our communities be places of joy and appreciation. Our families, our neighbors, our coworkers are all affected by the causes we make. So what kind of choices do we want to make? What kind of life do we want to live?
Like George Bailey, each of us has an angel that is here to help us. I know that it may sound like a cliche but it's true. The angel is inside of us, in our hearts. But there's also a demon in there and both of these aspects of our nature has the same potential. What really matters is which of them are we going to feed? Our thoughts, our words and the actions that we take are the fuel that empowers them. We must ask ourselves, "Who do we serve? Angel or demon?" No one else can answer that question for us. We must do it, every day, in every moment. When we take this responsibility as our own, then we have the power to shape the world around us.
There is only one reason that America is great. It's not because we have the biggest economy or the biggest military or the best marketing team. It is only because this country was founded on the ideals of democracy, a philosophy based on equality that recognizes the inherent value in each and every life. Regardless of gender, or the tone of one's skin, or how we pray, or where we came from, or how we were raised, we all have an opportunity to participate in the process of developing our lives and our communities. An ocean is vast only because it accepts all rivers that flow into it, never discriminating. That is the American dream. George Bailey embodies those values and that's why we love him so much.
Let's take a moment and consider how we are living our lives. Stop looking at the spectacle that is "out there" and ask yourself, "What am I doing? How am I participating?" Do you support those who are only interested in helping out themselves? Who are greedy and hateful? Who are trying to divide people so that we no longer see another person's humanity? There are a great many of these type of people out there and they are trying to influence you. It's not that hard to spot them. They may be people in power, perhaps even running for president, people like Henry F. Potter. Or they may be someone close to you, a friend or family member who has become deluded to the sacred value of all life, the very meaning of our American democracy. I implore you to reject their agenda. It is the very force that has created all of the suffering we are seeing in our country today. It is the destruction of our way of life.
Instead, why don't we embrace the George Baileys of the world? They're out there, working hard for everyone. They understand the fundamental truth that when you light the way for another, then you can see the path, as well. Or, even better, let's be George Bailey. Let's shape our Bedford Falls, our own communities, wherever they may be. Let's be the change that we wish to see. We have the power. We can become a great beacon for the world and when America shines that wonderful light of democracy, then it, too, shall no longer remain blind.
Remember when we would dress up like rockers? Maybe for Halloween or a costume party. It usually began when we were hitting middle school, our early teens when we were trying to figure out our place in the world. This brought along various rebellions and for many of us the most edgy thing in our lives was rock music and the rock stars that made it. So we painted our faces and mussed our hair and ripped our clothes and went out our doors different than before, hoping that it would make our hearts strong enough to deal with all the growing that we had to do. Some of us continued on with this look, becoming punks or goths or whatever wasn't accepted by our society. Some of us actually decided to make music too, trying to produce the same energy that we felt when we listened and looked at those rockers from our youth. That's ultimately what it was all about anyway. We needed to feel that energy, hold it, if only for a moment. We saw Wye Oak earlier this year at the Belly Up, here in San Diego, and I was totally surprised how these two musicians don't look like rockers. But when you hear their music, it's pretty obvious that they can rock. Appearances can be deceiving. I called them music geeks and they put on quite a performance. I don't care about looking like someone else anymore. I'm long past that now but I still love the energy in music, especially the kind that's found in the true heart of the creative spirit, the kind that we felt in youth when we all wanted to shriek.
Sometimes I hear music that is so soothing, so pristine that it feels like it was exclusively meant for me, like it is connecting directly with my creative soul. There's a calm, natural feeling that washes over me and I have this sense of peace. I become such a small thing, a precious new earth that reaches up out of the depths of what it means to be human. I connect with the soil that sprouted inside to blossom into a spark of light. That's me seeing for the first time, voiceless and nurtured into a soft space that is absolute with comfort. That's a song heard from the moment that sound escaped the womb and spread its wings for a new horizon. That's the touch that comes with the milk of the skin, the breath found in every pore. That's the aroma of sweetness, washing through me until I am buzzing with warmth, placid and at ease. That's something that I've searched for throughout time, a sense of happiness that comes from the heart and understands simple budding pleasures that were meant for human consumption, experience that floats above it all. A blessing, truly.
St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, has been with us for a long time now. I remember hearing about how she was a back-up singer for the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, who at the time was gaining notoriety with his album Illinois. Every time I heard the song Chicago, I imagined Clark singing her heart out. Eventually she stepped out of the shadows and started making her own music. A couple of albums later we eventually come to the point in time when the masses have joined hands in tremendous celebration of her art. This, her eponymous fourth album has been on virtually every top list that I've read for 2014. I could easily have put her album on the top of my list, as well, because she is simply amazing. Clark has far surpassed both of those acts that she gave support to in the distant past. The future is St. Vincent and if you harbor any doubt regarding that truth, go listen to her rip that guitar to shreds before she serenades you with her sweet jar of syrup.
When I was younger, I hated to dance. Especially when we were forced to do it in some nefarious planned class assignment. And going to the school dances in Junior High or High School? Forget about it! But let's face it, dancing can be a lot of fun, as long as you don't worry about how other people are looking at you. Good advice for just about every aspect of our lives, really. Well, even though I don't dance all the time, I have to admit that I really do enjoy it when I allow myself to be free of all constraints. It usually happens during a concert, when the music just overwhelms all other motor control skills and my heart jumps right out of my chest. The last time I felt that way was when we experienced the CocoRosie show at the Belly Up. The energy in that room absolutely buoyed my spirits. Though, when I think about dancing, I have to go back to the time I went to Street Scene, which was a big music festival here in San Diego. We experienced the show of Ghostland Observatory, these two crazy guys from Texas. Oh man, the beats and lights and all out joy that filled the sky that night was incredible. I literally jumped out of my skin that night. I didn't know what I was doing, beyond feeling the music right through me, and I didn't have a care in the world. It was one of the few times in my life where I was absolutely free. Thank you, Blood Orange, for making me feel like dancing.
The same year I met my wife, there was a band of two Japanese expatriates from New York who released their first album. The band was Cibo Matto and the album was Viva! La Woman. In 1996, I was a disillusioned twenty-five year old who only wanted to discover a new path in life. Little did I know but that amazing woman I just met would still be by my side almost twenty years later. I was excited, of course, and enamored but most of all, I truly wanted to understand what it meant to have a partner in life. Three years later, as we prepared for our wedding, Cibo Matto released their second album, Stereo * Type A. We were at an important junction of our commitment to one another and, where the first album was raw and full of energy, our relationship was filled with more swooning hope, a sense of beauty that was caught up in the notion of forever. Later, days after the vows had been read, Christina and I would see Cibo Matto at Brick By Brick here in San Diego. It was one of many concerts we've attended over the years, sharing a love for music. We even met at a concert, after all. The years would pass without anything from Cibo Matto, as we brought two children into the world, as we struggled to build a family that provided equally for us all, as we kept reaching for the love in our hearts. As we lived life, basically, and what a wonderful ride we've experienced. Now, Cibo Matto has finally dropped another album into our lives and though it's different than the others in so many ways, it's as beautiful and as weird as ever. To me, that sounds like a perfect metaphor for the life I share with the one I love.
About twenty years ago, I used to be a complete idiot. Okay, well, maybe not completely but I definitely didn't have appreciation for my life. Whenever I consumed alcohol, I often did idiotic things. So, this one time, during a fourth of July party at a friend's house, I suddenly had an incredible urge to jump from the roof of the five story apartment complex into the pool, which was probably only about six feet deep, at the most. Like I said, totally moronic. I was pretty drunk, obviously, and I managed to get a different friend of mine to go up there with me. Now, this wasn't the first time that I jumped off roofs into pools. This was the type of thing that I enjoyed doing but I had never attempted something so high before. I did jump off another friend's roof from about three stories up and that was pretty scary. Anyway, we ended up on the roof of this apartment building and I began to gauge whether or not I could make the leap. My friend told me that if I did it, then he would have to follow me down. It was kind of a dare. Across the way, we could see another set of apartments where a party was in full swing on the penthouse. People began to chant for us to jump, just the encouragement we needed, right? Well, at just as I was preparing for my approach, my friend suddenly had a revelation. He tells me, "Wade, this is the crap that we read about in the paper. You know? Some idiot tries to jump from the roof of an apartment complex into a pool and ends up dead." I looked at him and totally saw the wisdom in what he was telling me. We went back down to the party and proceeded to get even more drunk. I don't really remember anything beyond that moment of truth but to this day, I have never jumped off a roof into a pool again. I must say that it was one of those moments when I began to appreciate my life a little more. The same goes for the moment that I began to listen to Salad Days by Mac DeMarco.
So, I've been playing fantasy sports for about twenty years now. Long before it became such a national pastime. When I was younger, checking out the stats and watching for trends was something that always brought me a sense of relief, I would say is probably the best way to describe it. In a complicated world where I had plenty of difficulty understanding how to relate to other human beings, these columns of numbers were completely lacking in confusion. It became my little obsessive compulsive twerk, because everyone in the modern western world can relate to obsessive compulsive behavior in some way. Well, now that I'm an adult, I don't need to self-medicate so frequently, or not in that way, at least. I still play fantasy football, as many know, and it's grown into something a little more than just a fun distraction. This year, my beautiful wife, Xtina, my brother-n-law, Rick, and I started a website focused on providing fantasy football information for the masses. The motto for our little company was 'Play It Right', as in we're here to help you play the game right. That motto came directly from Sylvan Esso's first album. Whenever I heard the song, Play It Right, it would fill me with a sense of purpose toward our endeavor. It helped me feel like I was doing something important for me and my partners, even if it's just providing a little fantasy football advice.
When adolescence hit me, there weren't very many places that I could go where I felt safe. I was an uncomfortable, awkward and shy tween. The force of the opposite sex was overwhelmingly attractive and terrifying at the same time. I had absolutely no clue how to approach the idea of connecting in any intimate way but it soon became the most important goal of my life. Music was a diversion, not a distraction but a place where I was able to hide away and find comfort in a strange new world. Every lyric brought beautiful thoughts and my imagination would bloom, expand with dreams of the perfect romantic communion. I gravitated toward pop songs that spoke of love and delight, that gave me visions of a future that I longed to fulfill. Of course, I was the lead character in the stories that filled my head when I would descend into the sweet bliss of these songs and the young women who accompanied me were always special. Eventually, as I came to discover, life doesn't exactly travel along such charted waters. It's so much fuller than the traced out lines of a simple tale of bliss. But even after I learned about the true way to connect with another human being, I still love to create stories of the heart. So, there are still times when i hear a pop song that is reminiscent of that time in my life and I find myself falling into the starry-eyed bliss of romantic illusion. I guess that's one reason I love to write.
Shulamith Firestone was instrumental in the women's liberation movement during the mid to late 60's. Her newsletter, Voice of the Women's Liberation Movement, is recognized as providing the name for the movement. She advocated for radical feminism, with the thought that gradual change wasn't enough. She denounced the patriarchal structure of modern society as a biological ill, stating that the subjugation of women is the oldest form of prejudice, ultimately culminating in the nuclear family unit. She proposed that the only way to truly create equality in this lifetime was to eliminate the structure of the nuclear family, as it is the true cause of all the world's woes. Based on the idea that every experience stems from the inherent flaw of the family unit that still exists to this day, there is truly no way for any of us, men included, to understand a free existence outside of this oppression. We are either following along a preordained path forged along these gender inequalities or we are striving against it any way that we can. In both cases, it is a response to a system that is affecting everything. Only by destroying the nuclear family completely will we finally be free of this tyranny. Obviously, many of her proposals were extreme and failed to gain traction during her lifetime but they still resonate. They obviously have affected Channy Leaneagh, singer and co-founder of Polica. Just check out the video for the song, Tiff, in which Leaneagh brutally tortures her double, for some extreme imagery. There's so much about Polica's music that is radical and that's what makes it so resounding. It's profound and beautiful and revolutionary.
Speaking of legendary shows! Ever since I heard about Warpaint a few years ago, I heard about their epic shows. I really wanted to see them live and it eventually happened this past November, when they played the North Park Theatre. For most of the night, the room was a ensconced in groovy goodness. The four women in the band glowing as they played with their hearts wide open. I've never seen anyone performing with such joy, especially for a band whose nature isn't the type that jumps out of the speakers with enthusiasm. Their music is a slow but earnest sense of happiness, that sways through the hips and makes you swoon. They take their time as they provide a lusciousness that is embodied in every note. As the evening was winding down, Xtina and I went to the back to find a spot against the wall where we could rest our backs. When I looked down at my feet, I spotted a twenty dollar bill lying on the ground. Suddenly, all the drinks we had consumed were paid for and the night seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately, that turned out to be more than just a cliche. As the band began their encore, a strange smell filled the theatre and people started to leave in droves. I couldn't understand what was happening but it smelled like someone's colostomy bag had ruptured or some asshole dropped a stink bomb in the room. Perhaps, the perpetrator wanted Warpaint to watch their fans leave as they played their encore, the opposite of what they normally see. Maybe a jilted ex was to blame. Who knows? But the evening ended rather abruptly, as we could hardly stand the aroma, as well. Regardless, this concert will definitely go down as one of the most memorable in my life, a memory that will be both good and bad.
The very first concert that I ever attended was Echo & the Bunnymen at Open Air Theatre, SDSU. This was back in 1987 when I was sixteen years old. That year they released their eponymous album with the classic song Lips Like Sugar on it and I was super excited to see them live. Not just them, of course, but just the idea of real live rock music was so mystical for me at that point. By the time you're a teenager, you've heard about all the power of a live show. There's the grand tales of legendary shows throughout history, the likes of Woodstock and whatnot, that affect you but even the thought of catching a great contemporary act that's of the moment is exciting. Back in the late eighties, I was obsessed with alternative college music, as it was called back then, and Echo & the Bunnymen was one of my favorite. The concert truly lived up to the hype. Ian McCulloch performed with such incredible energy that the entire audience was pulled into his trajectory. He was the operator and we all went along for one of the best rides of our lives. It will always be one of those music memories that I will cherish. You're probably wondering how this relates to this Future Islands album? Well, Samuel T. Herring, the singer in the band, has quite a reputation for his live performances. We've all seen the David Letterman show, which is the closest I've come to seeing them live up to this point. The last time they came to San Diego the concert was sold out and though we considered buying overpriced tickets online, we weren't in the theatre that night. It's one of the few shows of late where I truly felt regret at missing out. Not like passing up a free ticket to Nirvana at Iguana's twenty years ago but you get the idea.
I've been skiing in the snow since I was six years old. It's one of the few things in this life that provide both a rush of excitement and a feeling of transcendence at the same time. Like so many other aspects of my life, when I think about a certain instance or situation, I can hear a soundtrack floating through the scene. Or when I listen to a song, I can place it amongst certain memories or feelings that I have within. This is the soundtrack of our lives, right? It's just another way that music penetrates through our awareness and immerses to carry deeper meaning. When I think about the exhilaration and beauty of downhill skiing, I can hear a groove that flows like a dream, soft and airy like the dancing shadow of a bird coasting across the earth, but also pushing with a force against the grain, sliding along an invisible path that flexes from the pressure. Zaba, this album from Glass Animals, definitely works in that scene. The melody lifts and I close my eyes, see my body bend and move in a waltz with the mountain, fluid and effortless, as I carve the slopes up.
There was a time when I was young, the early teen years, when I loved to listen to pop music more than anything, especially if the voice of a sweet girl accompanied it. I knew that it was women who sang to me but I imagined the young blossoming girls in my class. It was a magical sound but it absolutely had to frizz and bounce with sugary melody. Bands like the GoGos and the Bananarama were a constant presence and women like Susanna Hoffs and Terri Nunn came to me in my dreams. It was a world of summer, sunshine and fields of flowers and it bubbled with happiness in my imagination. Later, when I would drive around town alone, coming down off the mountain of Jamul, I would secretly listen to bands like the Popinjays and the Sundays and feel such bliss, though my dreams had turned darker by then and the happiness I caught from the sound of these lovely women's voices were but a fleeting glimpse. I've grown much since those days but I still carry a fondness for the sweet sound of pop music, catchy tunes that squeeze my heart with a songbird floating lightly above the sway. Hospitality, a fresh band out of New York, has captivated me in such a way this year. and the stories that flow from my imagination when I listen to them take me back to sunflowery goodness.
This is my blog. There are many like it but this one is mine. My blog is my best friend. It is my song. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my blog is useless. Without my blog I am silent. I must articulate my song true. I must aim straighter than my adversary, who is trying to silence me. I must extend my voice further than he extends his. I will. Before the excellence of the universe I swear this creed: my blog and myself are defenders of my realm, we are the masters of those who shun thought, we are the saviors of free thinking beings. So be it, until there is peace. Kampai.
