Going Back To the Start

I don't exhausted is that right word for how I felt this morning. Here was my morning in a nutshell. There was nothing that was going to keep us from seeing the midnight showing of the final Harry Potter film so Shea, me, my sister, and a bunch of friends bought tickets and readied ourselves for the impending awesome. One thing I really wanted to do this year was re-read those books. I had never read them all together in one shot and it had been awhile. It turned out to be one of my favorite things of this year. I had so much fun reading them, so this year has kind of been a Harry Potter year for me. It was nice being their at midnight for the final movie, it was like my journey came full circle or something. I won't get into a long critique of the film though. I really enjoyed it and that's all that matters to me. Did it change some things and leave others out? Yes. Was it enough to ruin the experience for me? No I don't think so. Although I will say this. The last two films work best as one giant film. I can't wait to get this one on Blu-Ray and watch them together. It'll be epic.

All Harry Potter geek outs aside we didn't get home 'till three o'clock in the morning. The kicker was I had to be up at six to be at work by 7:45. Yeah that's right...tired. Scary fun fact to share with you fellow Shufflers...I started nodding off while driving. That's super scary. I kept fighting it and fighting. Windows open, AC up. Windows open... it was very nerve racking. When I was in within fifteen minutes of work I thought it would be a good idea to hit shuffle. The song of the day would be something that would help me stay awake. It always peeks my interest, but today I was to tired to fully appreciate it. I listened like a zombie.



As the hundredth song comes closer I realised that this is our first Foo Fighters song and it comes off of their brand new album, Wasting Light. While the final Harry Potter film brought my journey full circle, the Foo Fighters kind of have that feeling for me with a Year of Shuffling. It was during their documentary Back and Forth that I started writing the first post to kick start this little adventure. So it makes me smile thinking back to sitting in my chair in my apartment, drinking some beers, watching the documentary, and typing up the first post. I'd say that was a good night.

Speaking of good, Wasting Light is my favorite album of the year so far. I know that I said I would discuss my five favorite albums of the year, but I'm having a tough time doing so. Maybe I'll do my top ten favorite songs? I don't know I'm still fleshing out the details. Wasting Light from start to finish is an excellent album, and one I haven't been able to stop listening to since it's release. Made me realise how fun it is to be a Foo Fighters fan.

Arlandria is one of my favorite tracks off the album, and it's the simplicity of it that I love. During the chorus there's a simple one-two drum beat, the lyrics of the chorus are easy enough to remember and fun to sing along to, and the song itself has a steady feel to it. Not to mention that Dave Grohl sounds awesome in all aspects of this song. He is completely on point throughout the course of Wasting Light and here he has that bite and edge to his voice that make this song jump off the album.

Plus I love how he brings in a theme found in a lot of Foo Fighters songs in the middle. The use of "Virginia" can be heard in a number of Foo songs since the second disc of In Your Honor (for starters check out Virginia Moon with Norah Jones). But what is "Virginia"? Is it the state? Is it a person? Well folks I have that answer for you... it's the state of Virginia. That's where Grohl grew up and I believe has a a home there. I like themes like this though with bands. Dave Matthews Band has the same thing with "Grace" who I believes is his wife (but don't quote me on that).

There is a lot of good on Wasting Light, actually there is a whole lot of good on Wasting Light. For my generation and maybe for this younger generation too although they might be too young and ignorant to know it, Dave Grohl is our biggest rock star. This guy has his hand in everything. He can play everything, and he seems to be as down to earth as possible. Anything he touches I need to listen to. Wasting Light isn't so much an amazing Foo Fighters record as it is a celebration of the epicness of Dave Grohl. Or as some have told me, my doppelganger. You be the judge.