As often happens here in your favorite Urban Semiotic, yesterday’s article — The Unnecessary Necessary: An Anonymous Stranger — and its comments, creates the inspiration for a second article to expand the ideas we expressed together.
Today I will share with you a story I learned many years ago from my first Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga guruji: The Lesson of the Singing Bowl.
I’m not anticipating anything earthshattering to be released or to happen in the next fifteen days and so I present to you my favorites of 2006 a good two weeks earlier than it has been traditionally released.
Music
A lot of albums were released during the year but not a lot of them caught my attention, and many of those that did somehow didn’t manage to keep it for all that long. I have two albums in mind for this year – the eponymous Pearl Jam release and the soundtrack to the Disney film High School Musical.
Pearl Jam’s eponymous album was a nice return to a strong rocking band. It takes its place among some of my favorite albums ever. From the moment you open up the avocado emblazened album and put it in to the last moments of the last song you realize what a good thing you have. I was particularly pleased with the fact that for a limited time Pearl Jam basically gave away the mp3 of the first single off of the album, “World Wide Suicide.” I was unable to see them when they were playing at The Gorge in George, Washington (yes, very funny) but I know that the next time they are around I will certainly make a good effort to see them. The album as a whole is a no-punches held back crticism of the current government in power in the United States and the directions that we have taken in foreign policy. I think you could say that the band doesn’t particularly agree with the direction being taken.
Neil Young makes me cry in the noble, touching, way genius creates art that erupts into an intellectual and emotional explosion of the senses in a single moment of blinding understanding. When you’ve experienced a Neil Young song in that manner you don’t look at other musicians the same way because not only can they never inspire you they cannot even inspire their own spirit.
Continue reading → The Neil Young Primer: Why Genius Never Fades
Bruce Springsteen’s new album is a tribute to Pete Seeger and it comes off as an Old-Time Revival jamboree on DVD. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is a celebration of Folk and Gospel music and the energy and divinity found pounding in the songs is a exclamation of joy and wonderment that we are alive and in the company of each other.
k.d. lang has the most beautiful Voice in the world. Her incredible Voice, nuanced in tone and bursting with emotion while always being held in perfect moderation and absolute control, provides high warning of her greatness.
The yearly tradition of writing about the year in the last 48 hours that remain of the year continues, with 2005 being yet another spectacular one for favorites. I once more reiterate the standard year end disclaimer that these are just my favorites, and that you very well may detest each and every single item that I so adore.
The enchanting Fiona Apple has turned over a tricksy new musical leaf with the release of her latest album, Extraordinary Machine. The machine is she and extraordinary she is! Fiona’s music on this new album is no longer solely glum and gloomy like her previous public efforts. She now presents us with a sexy curiosity and a jaunting, lilting, melodic sense that is bright and blossoming in a dull Pop music world.
As a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln I am disgusted and disappointed UNL allowed felon/porn star Tommy Lee to “audit” classes for a fake reality television show that debuted on NBC last night in order to build a promotional bandwagon for the prairie school.
Five other universities turned down the Tommy Lee show before Nebraska bought into the idea. The phrase “whore for attention” immediately comes to mind as an entire university bends over. I am uncertain why UNL was eager to get in bed with convicted wife batterer Tommy Lee and let him pretend to be a “real” student at the university.
Did UNL want to example what school life is like? Is there no better choice to be found to demonstrate on a national scale the UNL experience than a 42-year-old washed-up rock star who kicked his wife and was sent to jail?
DRM or — “Digital Rights Management” for the blissfully unbroken — is a dream stuck in Hell and is also the facockta name Microsoft has branded its media licensing initiative and it means if, like me, you choose to rent your downloaded music, instead of purchasing it or stealing it, your life is currently miserable.
I am not a Paul Anka fan. I am not a Swing fan. I do like Rock. When I saw Paul Anka’s new Rock Swings CD, I was ready for something awful and treacly. I was kindly surprised to find an album more innovative and infectious than disappointing.
It’s My Life
This is the first song on the album and it rocks and swings at the same time. Anka brings a tough-guy swagger to this Bon Jovi classic. The trumpets scream. Anka screams. We all scream together! Listen to this song with headphones cranked all the way up so you can enjoy the punch and sophistication of the incredible orchestration. Anka sings with an infectious smile!
True
This cover of the Spandau Ballet original feels a little muddy. Anka saves it with his clear voice and funky interpretation of the lyric but we expect more here from a smoky orchestration that leaves ashes, not inspiration, behind.
Eye of the Tiger
This song was a dud when it was originally released and Anka’s Fifties creeping-stylization is lukewarm and rather odd.
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