Before we start first off let me say I'm sorry. I don't know what has gotten into my as of late. I just haven't had the energy to type something up at the end of the day. I've been seriously slacking, and I feel like I've let you guys down. So after today we should be back on track and I won't let this happen again (or I won't allow it to get this bad again). I am going to Vermont this weekend (more on that laterish), but I do plan on brining my lap top with me to prevent this from occurring again. So I'm just going to jump into it so we get ourselves all caught up, again sorry for being a bum.
Sunday
So Sunday I spent the majority of the day (over seven hours of it) coming home from the awesome that was the Sterling Renaissance festival. While Shea and the rest of the gang had Monday off I on the other hand had to work. So I departed at ten in hopes of avoiding traffic and getting home at a somewhat decent hour. But for long car rides there has to be a music itinerary planned, it's essential to the ride. If you don't have a clear blue print of what you want to listen to then you're looking at a car ride that won't go that smoothly. Luckily for me I had it planned out to the "T".
With the new O.A.R. album being out and it not sucking out loud I decided I would spend some time with the band on the way home. Last summer I picked up the live four disc album, Rain or Shine, but didn't really listen to it. I was still pretty angry with the band and I remember listening to the first two discs once and never really going back to it. So I thought, seven hour car ride, anger over the band coming down, why not give it a shot. I'm so glad I did. What followed was four awesome hours of falling back in love with one of my favorite bands. That second show (or discs three and four) is everything I love about O.A.R. . It's been a long time since I've been that happy listening to them. I was singing and free styling over the beats and smiling the whole way, even in traffic. It was the best make up music "sex" ever. Yes I'm aware of how weird that must sound.
Well after listening to all of Rain or Shine (four hours), King (deluxe version), and the second disc of Live From Madison Square Garden I decided to take a break from the O.A.R. love fest and go to the song of the day. I think at this point my ipod wanted to play anything as long as it wasn't O.A.R. so it gave me this little gem.
Black is one of my all time favorite Pearl Jam songs…ever. I had the pleasure of seeing them play it last year at the Garden and it blew my mind. This version comes from an all acoustic show that the band did for charity, and I think it might be one of my favorite versions of the song.
Here's the thing here, the first time I had heard this album I borrowed it from the library. Yeah that's right you can do that. The show is enjoyable, it's a softer more mellow side of the band that I like. Sometimes you just have to have your Pearl Jam mellow. When Black came on I was sold. Pearl Jam is very good with their crowd participation but here in the more intimate setting it sounds amazing. I love listening to the crowd take it over, I'm pretty sure I've said this before…I'm a sucker for crowd participation. That's what sticks out the most here for me. In a regular Pearl Jam show you can hear the crowd and it's awesome backed with the band, but with this being an acoustic show the crowd just sounds awesome. Adds to the entire vibe. In my opinion totally makes the song.
Black also makes me think the time my buddy Brad and I sang with a local band (two dudes with two guitars) at one of our local bars. Don't get me wrong I can't sing to save my life but we had been drinking and we asked to sing a Pearl Jam song and they said yes. It was awesome. We were so good that they asked to sing Better Man with them too, which was totally unplanned. It was one of my favorite rock star moments. They usually record their shows but sadly for me they didn't record this one. I guess I'll just have to relive it in my head as being awesome instead of listening to how awful we probably sounded in real life.
Five Songs I Can't Live Without (At Least Right Now)
1. Black Thumbnail- Kings of Leon
2. Conquering Fools (live)- O.A.R.
3. Shattered (acoustic live)- O.A.R.
4. Happy Alone- Kings of Leon
5. Irish Rose- O.A.R. (this one isn't going anywhere people)
Monday
Still feeding off that O.A.R. high people. As a matter of fact it's all I'm listening to lately (ha ha lately as if Sunday was that long ago). I am currently in the process of re-tooling the Want To Hear It Now playlist with more O.A.R. songs as well as songs from groups I associate with O.A.R. (looking at you Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, and Michael Franti and Spearhead). This make up session is going swimmingly I must say. I had no idea I missed this band that much. It's like getting in touch with an old friend who's been in on the back burner of your life for awhile but then comes back to the forefront like they never left.
So on my way home from job the second I decided it was about time to hit shuffle. There is a project to maintain here people. So I pryed myself away from the O.A.R. love fest for a couple of minutes. There's nothing worse than listening to what you want to listen to and then changing the pace up. Putting something on you don't want to hear at all. I was definitely fearing that when I hit shuffle. But I forgot my ipod is awesome and it loves me.
Not only is Trench Town Rock one of my favorite Bob Marley songs, but it has one of my all time favorite music quotes of all time, "one good thing about music when it hits you feel no pain" (coincidently O.A.R. uses this lyric in their song Anyway… just throwing that out there). How great is that? "When it hits you, you feel no pain". Just makes me so excited to listen to music. "Brutalize" me with music… gives me goose bumps people. I actually want this quote inscribed on the back of my ipod. I should look into this hmmmmm…
Trench Town Rock is a song that just sounds better live. You get to hear all of Marley's energy and how the band and the crowd feed off it. I wish I could have seen him. God. I've got a bunch of live records and they're so fun to listen to (granted Bob doesn't switch the ole set list up that often but who cares it's a freakin' Bob Marley show). If I could do two things with a time machine that were music related I would probably save John Lennon's life and go see a Bob Marley concert. Someone hurry up and make me a time machine!
Listening to Bob Marley mixed in with the O.A.R. goodness I'm all types of pumped up for music. I have a bunch of songs to be omitted and added to the Want To Hear It Now list but now I'm thinking I might have to add some Bob Marley. Feeling good people, feeling good.
Tuesday
The ole ipod is feeling it people, it's feeling it. I've been in such a good music mood lately (all this old stuff that I haven't listened to in so long is just making me giddy) it must be contagious. I'm re-discovering all types of music I had thrown on the back burner (for example check out Michael Franti and Spearhead doing Light Up Ya Lighter or One Step Closer with Pink. You will not be disappointed). I'm actually thinking about busting out the half hour version of Crazy Game of Poker featuring Michael Franti and Radioactive. It's epic and I haven't listened to it in years. Well in my defense it's tough to listen to a half hour song. That's like the length of some good punk albums. It's a commitment people. Same way I feel about Bob Marley's thirty minute live version of Get Up, Stand Up/No More Trouble/War from the Live At the Roxy album. While thirty minutes of awesome I don’t listen to it that often because it's so epically long. That's like my whole commute to work almost or at least the only song I'll be listening to during it. Maybe I'll grow a set and put it on the Want To Hear It Now playlist… hmmmm.
Speaking of Bob Marley
For those of you keeping count that's two Bob Marley songs in a row. Whoa. I have to say that the title here leaves something to be desired. Craven Choke Puppy. It sounds like the unhappiest thing Bob Marley has ever said or written. I'm not really sure how you can look people in the eye with a straight face saying Craven Choke Puppy is your favorite song. People would probably think it was a Cannibal Holocaust song or something.
Title of the song aside, it's not bad. Simple acoustic number off the Songs of Freedom box set. Although I feel that it would make a pretty cool dub step song. I don't listen to dub mixes they don't really speak to me, and on top of that I don't really see what the big deal is. To me it's almost like mock reggae but what do I know right? So using my complete lack of knowledge of dub style music I would like to volunteer Craven Choke Puppy for the treatment. It could give the song a back bone and maybe a cool beat to dance stupid to. That would be pretty cool I suppose.
Then again it is a Bob Marley song and the beauty of his music is that it's able to stand on its own without having anything added to it. Actually I tend to dislike the remixes of Bob Marley songs. It's like whoever is doing the remix is missing the point. Bob's music was pure and through the soul. By throwing in heavy bass beats, rap versus, and such you're taking that away. And if there is one artist that shouldn't be touched it's Bob Marley.
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