Americana

Live from the UK! - Commentary on music strictly American.

Lucinda Williams: Little Honey - "Its a real love," aye? I miss all the fake ones, then. Not that this new one's bad, but its not refined enough, not hooky enough...and the little close observations about life she's so good at aren't insightful enough to save the lack of melody. Her worst album of her own material...ever, surely, but still, better than 95% of country schlock out there, regardless. 17/20

Todd Snider: Peace Queer (EP) - In which Todd confesses this is all for him and that (surprise!) he doesn't like bullies. And it seems like the job of the idealists like him is to throw evil into its proper relief. Which isn't so bad a job. 18/20

Conor Oberst: Bright Eyes frontman makes the best thing (in pure musical terms) I've heard thus far this year. A gorgeous album that really grabs the heart. "I don't wanna die in a hospital" - body's not the only thing, let's have a little soul. 19/20

Randy Newman: Harps and Angels - Opens with a song about the (almost) death of a man; body of the beast has one about "this empire ending, just like all the rest" (this one needs an almost, too). Having these rather striking existentiale paraded before you in Newman's sarcastic conversational blather is musical food for thought. And its purty. 19/20

Drive-By Truckers: Brighter than Creation's Dark - This post has been too long, but I'll just say that the title's accurate about the work. Might be my personal favorite - recognizes the great good's in life (family, friends) and makes us aware of fortune's less favored ones, American style: queers, meth-heads, those of us who aren't angels... 19/20

A Wee Scottish Epic

A Wee Scottish Epic or How our hero return’d to London imitating Falstaff of the Merry Wives of Windsor*

1
Early in the glow of the Queen’s morning light
A loan traveler (small and bald, aye, but bold and bright!)
- or so thought he – upon a modern marvel did alight.
Not a beast of sun, air, or rail was she,
But a bus as mega as one can see
(and he t’were only on it 11 hours, woopee!).
O’er the hills and plains of sheep our hero sped
With dreams of castles, adventure, and whiskey in his head,
Toward where our heroine lay (demurely, we shall say) asleep in her bed.
Arriv’d our hero in Edinburgh with yawn in hand
To meet the lass Laina and hero Leon (whom from our heroes did presently disband)
And with the lass did stroll this nation, his name plus land.

2
Our heroine (daughter of a Rose and mighty Klaus, watched over by Zeus)
Did lead to the castle of Lucy and Dave the Bard
Where travelers, oysters, laugher, food and wine flowed loose,
To prepare our heroes for traveling many a yard.
(A’fore we continue a kind word o’ Lucy and Dave we must say,
as a more beautiful and welcoming hearth hath never a more grateful traveler met,
nor more satisfied his head on his pillow lay;
‘tis sure that for kindness, banter, and rest, forever is he in their debt.)
From the castle next morn the lass set a hearty pace
The better to see the capital of the Scots in a day
(and to through our a path a fudge shop three times lace)
past lofty crags, mighty castles, church’s a’spired did they make their way!
A challenge (or demand) was issued from the lass
“we pass Hagus and Whiskey, but have Hagus first!”
so with Neeps and Tatters our hero devoured a delicious mass –
of intestines, lung and heart – before downing a pint at world’s end to quench his thirst.
A thirst which has not abetted yet
They met later with friends (and mighty Leon) later to quench,
And at the Hive did drink and common merry let
Men of wee Scot befriend those of yet mighty America (ay! Though we be on the bench).

3
Awake next morning our hero did find
That he had grown old of body (and yet, of mind?)
With akin’ back our hero did kindly take
The offer of Lucy, to the bus station to make
And from there to Dundee where this story began,
A town of Uni, malls and bagpipe through which our heroes ran.
That night they ate food o’ the east (thanks be to Mayer!)
To prepare their livers for the nights feast and a Union with five layer,
Wherein our hero with Scottish warriors did dance and chat
Until the wee hours of the morn when he tried to apply his stiff back to a mat.

4
Having all of these adventures under his belt,
The Lord believed with pride our hero dwelt,
And because the Lord ‘tis kind, not wishing our hero to Hell,
Did send him a challenge, our heroes mind now to melt.
This day (which was to end with our heroes departure)
Began with St. Andrew’s fire (put out, though, by wind and rain)
Which is a town of glorious ruins and seaside which even the weather could not stain,
And was to end with lovely Laina’s cooking, healthy and pure.

5
But soft! Our hero’s wits (surfeited) the Lord did break,
T’was the 20:40, not the 22, our hero was to take!
So again on the floor (like a puppy, with tail between legs)
did our hero stay, and listen to a storm brew of which legend begs.
The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away,
And then he putith it into a sac and beatith our hero with it until he pray
That the sheet of rain, and wind to lift an ox, would not stay.
But on our hero went, till all about him were soaked, into the fray.
The great beast, megabus! – slumbered in her cave,
Sad that appeared not our hero to save,
Until at last – hunched, sodden, and beaten – a drowned rat came,
Up the steps, to (for his troubles) assign God the blame.

*my only excuse for this nonsense is reading too much Shakespeare

Ugh

Yet another wasted hour trying to get pictures posted. Ignore the empty posts, I have no idea how to delete them.

East London and Shout Outs

This post will be a post of shout-outs, starting with my friend Cille, whom I must thank for showing me fascinating East London on perhaps the most gorgeous day we've had so far. What's in East London? Bars that stay open until a reasonable hour, for one. West Indies ethnic food. Markets busy and lively as any in London. Markets provide not just a sense of community but an actual place to be communal. And good food.

We saw the famous (apparently) Brick Lane, which was, due to the weather, overwhelmingly crowded. And I suppose that's it for East London...

To end with, shout outs to the A34s and B53s of Shafer house, especially Ally, Chris and Bhavik - congradulations on your touch-the-cup victory last night, gentlemen.

Next week - my report on Scotland and hopefully pictures, finally.

State of the Arts and Sciences

In this issue: London's museums and first reflections on the University College of London.

Museums: First, let me shout out to Jacob for giving me the excuse to visit all of these places...

The British Museum - The collection of artifacts here is ridiculous. I mean, sure, the British mostly raided foreign countries and treat these fascinating evidences of the elevation of the ancient soul as pretty bits of superstition, but there is something to be gained from viewing them anyway. What does it say about us that we no longer dwell in and surround ourselves by what calls us upward to our better possibilities?

The National Gallery - Art up through the impressionists. Always fascinating, especially because one can chronicle the rise of and artistic reaction to modernity. Peaceful streams of paint mixed with smog. Their collection is pretty solid too - plenty of Degas, Monet, Manet, etc.

Tate Modern - An impressive brutalist structure that looms high above the Thames as one crosses the Millennium Bridge. Truly spectacular if you love modern art. Still interesting for those of us who care more about the conscious than the purview of the Underground Man.

The Globe Theatre - If you have to do one thing in London, its see a Shakespeare play how it was meant to be seen - in an outdoor theatre like this, with a fantastic cast. I saw "Merry Wives of Windsor," which I believe is generally considered one of Shakespeare's weaker plays, and I have never in my life enjoyed a comedy so much. If you want to understand human beings, I think, probably the round building next to the Tate will give you much more than it will.

On to the University College of London...

Shakespeare - As my above comment indicates, Shakespeare has my utmost respect after having only closely examined three of his plays thus far. Now this is literature. The actual lecture is pretty fascinating, although it seems to presuppose a knowledge of literature in general that is astounding and which I, much to my shagrin, have not been exposed to. Visualize my finger wagging at the American school system.

Political Philosophy - Diminishing Plato's critique of democracy to a single line of thought by Socrates in a tiny piece of the Republic and examining it logically. If this is analytic philosophy, then I am sad for all the poor souls in the English speaking world who must deal with this impoverished vision. Perhaps this will improve, but I am worried.

Phenomenology Tutorial - Three students and a professor investigating some of the most interesting philosophers of the last century? We have a win.

British Politics - Nobody likes Gordon Brown. Poor guy.

I hear the world is ending in the states. At least at the end of history we can get a black president.