Hawthorne Image

Becky and I stopped by the Nelson Atkins a couple days ago and strolled through the American galleries upstairs. This beautiful painting by Charles Webster Hawthorne (1872—1930) caught our eyes. It's called Mother and Child. I love the rich colors and the look on the woman's face.

Remember the 90s?

Have you heard the new car ad that uses Collective Soul's "Shine"? This was one of my least favorite songs of the its era. My best friend Justin and I used to make fun of it all the time when we were 14. We mimicked the ridiculous guttural way the singer says "Yeah!" in the prechoruses. We thought he was trying to sound like Eddy Vedder. We postured in ridiculous rock poses and jammed on that guitar riff over and over again. We thought the riff was inane, but I guess it was pretty fun to play. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Soul Asylum were the bands we liked. Collective Soul, we thought, was a rip-off, a fake. Another band we liked, but who later became a favorite whipping boy of critics was Stone Temple Pilots. We heard a rumor that Collective Soul wasn't even a "real band," that it was actually just the creation of one producer who put everything together himself. How lame. As bad as we thought "Shine" was, it was far from CS's nadir. They seemed to get cheesier with each album. When overblown bands like Creed became popular in the early 2000s, I thought it sounded like the return of Collective Soul.

No, I won't actually post the "Shine" video here.

Fine.

Here it is, even more magisterial. I can only imagine the hours of laughs Justin and I would have gotten from this absurd performance had it been around back then. (Just wait til it gets to the guitar solo...)

Becky's New Photo Blog

Checky out!

Test.Foto

AUGUST Preview — Nightfall

"Nightfall" is about memory, fragility, and the night sky.

I loosely modeled this song on Schumann's "Allnächtlich im Traume" in which the singer describes having a dream that his love has returned and loves him again. Each verse quickens to its end, as he comes back to reality, realizing again and again that it was just a dream. Here's Fritz Wunderlich's 1966 recording:

Translation: I see you every night in dreams, and see you greet me friendly, and crying out loudly I throw myself at your sweet feet. You look at me sorrowfully and shake your fair head: from your eyes trickle the pearly tear-drops. You say a gentle word to me and give me a sprig of cypress: I awake, and there is no sprig, and I have forgotten what the word was.


In a similar way, each verse of "Nightfall" gets lost in a memory before evaporating into nothing when jolted awake by reality. Until the end, that is, when the stars come out again, magically twinkling as before, and things are again as they once were...

Just Kids

I just finished Patti Smith's Just Kids. The story of her friendship with Robert Mapplethorpe is one of the most touching things I've ever read, and her account of his death of AIDS in 1989 is truly heartbreaking. 

The two meet when they are 19 years old. Both already have a strong, yet unfocused sense that they are artists, but neither has found the right medium yet. The book captures the rush of passionate feelings and energies that consume young, bohemian, creative people trying to create their world and themselves anew. While telling the story of their mutual growth as artists, Smith never indulges in the cliches or posturing of genius myth-making. The writing is always personal, heartfelt, and illuminating. I would definitely give this book to a young artist. 

There is a really exciting play-by-play of how Mapplethorpe came to take the photo that became the cover of Smith's first album, Horses. 

There's even a great story about how the plainly-styled Smith was scorned by the glam gods of Max's Kansas City and decides to give herself Keith Richards' haircut. When she comes back to the club, everyone is suddenly really interested in her and warmly welcomes her into the inner circle. (I wish I could find a haircut that could do that!)

Free Tim Riggins T-Shirt Now Available (the shirt's not free, wow that's gonna be confusing...)

 

 This fine apparel can now be ordered at the Teleharmonium Cafe Press Store! (Good idea Melissa!)

MINOR QUIBBLE — Duke of Earl

I've been watching some of The Tudors recently — Netflix is now streaming all 4 seasons — and all this talk about kings, dukes, and earls made me think of the 1962 Gene Chandler hit, "Duke of Earl." Did the writers of this song just randomly throw together two feudal titles to create the refrain? A duke is one guy, an earl is another. Why would there be a Duke of Earl? That's like calling someone "King of Prince" or "President of Secretary." Makes no sense. Oh, and don't watch the following video unless you're OK with "Duke of Earl" being stuck in your head for the next 49 years (if it isn't already).

(Does the crowd seem strangely morose and serious in this video? Perhaps that whole duke-and-earl issue was gnawing at them as well...)

MUSIC FOR SUNDAY MORNING

A few weeks ago, I posted about my friend Jake's new composition which included a setting of the Thomas Aquinas hymn, O Salutaris Hostia. Months ago, Jake introduced me to an unsurpassably beautiful setting of this text by the Renaissance composer, Pierre de la Rue (1452—1518). This version is the Netherlands Chamber Choir. No more words, just listen.

AUGUST Preview — Lament for the Makers

Poor Old Stobo. He never had a chance.

The first full-length track on August is a lament, a plea to Death himself, for people and poets past.

The refrain is Latin for, "The fear of death bewilders me." Not death itself, but the fear of it. The song's based on a poem by William Dunbar. He saw many of the greats die, having lived through the Black Plague and all, a time when 70% of Europe's population fell to boils and scabs.

As for the musical arrangement, anyone who doubts that Dunbar's descendant's settled in Appalachia hasn't heard Ralph Stanley sing "O Death"

AUGUST Preview — The Storm

Today I preview for you the lead-off track of the forthcoming Still Lost Bird Music album (out on the 23rd of next month): "The Storm".



It's a subtle thing that whispers with a dreamy, mysterious voice from beyond. The questions it raises about the songs that follow are: "Is the subject awake or asleep?" "Is this real or a dream?"

It's one of the most creatively produced tracks on the album (thanks to my friend Jeff who co-produced). For a short song (it clocks in at just less than a minute), the arrangement morphs several times: from a solo nylon string guitar, to an earth-trembling cloud of distortion, to echoing voices in the sky. It's about a feeling that's violent and hopeful and terrifying and comforting all at the same time. You were the wind. 

This Guy Funny

Star Wars Revisited

A couple weeks ago, while catching a few minutes of Star Wars on TV, my brother-in-law mentioned that he thinks the 3 Star Wars prequels (released 1999-2005) are superior to the original trilogy. His preference for the latter films (the prequels) is due, at least partly, to their more nuanced and complex plots and political situations. In the first three (the original trilogy...gawd this is so confusing to talk about!) it's basically good vs. evil, everything is black and white, and it's very obvious which is which. In the prequels, characters turn from good to evil, some are not what they seem, and the line of what is right and wrong is blurry.

As I'd only ever heard people of our generation deride the 3 prequels, his comment piqued my curiosity. I marathon-ed all 3 this weekend. In terms of plot interest, I'd have to agree (especially in II: Attack of the Clones and III: Revenge of the Sith) that these are more robust. However, I think the visionary aesthetic sense of the original trilogy is what makes it ultimately so powerful, and probably what drove its popularity in the first place. The prequels are somewhat of a technological relic of their times — a time when CGI was starting to do amazing things, but hadn't achieved realism. Nothing in the setting of these films has any weight, everything just sort of floats in a vacant perfection. In contrast, the original trilogy's imagery is unforgettable.

Much has been made of the visual components of those original films, but the sound design is also amazing. (The sound design is not the score, which is also iconic, but the sound effects that help bring the setting to life.) Think about just the sound of Darth Vader's breath. Unforgettable. The buzz of the light sabers, the beeps of R2D2, the wail of Chewbacca all easily come to mind too, and I haven't seen any of these movies in probably 10 years.

Awkward Classical Music Photos

Here is a hilarious blog.

Sample: Jupiter Trio.

New Favorite KC BBQ Joint —Oklahoma Joe's

Wow. Went to the Westwood location for lunch yesterday. Best beef brisket I've had since leaving Tejas. Fabulous ribs. And Becky really liked the pulled pork. (I liked it too, but being from NC, I have impossible standards.) Nice fries too! This place has found some kind of magic in the combination of the saltiness/smokiness of their meats and the sweetness of their sauce that makes you realize why these two things were meant to go together in the first place. (And its great sauce too — not too heavy, not too sweet.)

OK Joe's has cool ambience too. It's located in a gas station. When we arrived around 1, the line was almost out the door. Moved quick though, and we got a booth. (Guess we weren't the firsts to discover it ;)

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Three caveats to statement above (about it being my new fav KC bbq):

1. I will always go back to Jack Stack as an alternative because of its more posh & comfy atmosphere (and great food too).

2. LC's burnt end sandwich might still be the single most mind-blowingly good item I've ever had as far as kc bbq. That place is such a dive though, I'd be more likely to go there for takeout at this point.

3. Goochy Goo's is still my favorite in the St. Joe area.

GENIUS IDEA: for a new word

Have you ever watched your car's windshield wipers in action and noticed that little crevice of space — sort of triangular in shape — that the wipers neglect? It's located at the bottom of the glass, slightly right of center, and every car has it, though the size and angularity of the wedge vary.

This space should have a name, but what should it be? I'm considering "peak". For example, "Your Subaru's peak is quite sharp and narrow compared to my Camry's." Or, "I didn't see the bicyclist, Officer. He must have been caught in my peak." "Peak" could work because of the space's mountainous shape. (It's also sort of like an upside-down widow's peak.) But is it catchy enough?

ALBUM UPDATE — AUGUST TO BE RELEASED 8/23

A few weeks ago, I made a post about my forthcoming album, August, on DashGo Records. We now have an official (and fitting) release date: August 23rd. In the next few weeks, leading up to the release, I'll preview some of the songs here and write about how the album was made, etc. Exciting!

Intrigue in St. Joe Cinema

(The title of this post may be a bit of an exaggeration.)

Screenland Cinemas has removed St. Joe's Plaza 8 Theater from their website. What could this mean?

Plaza 8 has always been the black sheep of Screeland's regional empire. It plays second-runs of the most mainstream Hollywood movies, while the Armour, Crossroads, Crown Center, and Grinders locations lean more towards artistic, indie fare.

About a year ago I had a conversation with the manager of Plaza 8, John Shipp. Figuring that they already have access to the reels of all those great movies they're showing in KC, I tried to convince him to bring special, limited screenings of more artistic indie films to Plaza 8. Great idea, no? They could probably even charge a few bucks above their normal rate of $2/ticket. They don't appear to have gone for it...

Plaza 8 is still an awesome place for an inexpensive date or a matinee. The popcorn is good, they charge a lot less for concessions than most places, it's never crowded, and the A/C is cranked! If you're lucky, you can even find a seat with both armrests still intact! ;)

GENIUS IDEA FOR NEW T-SHIRT

"Free Tim Riggins"

[Thing is, in order to get it you have to have just watched the episode of Friday Night Lights I just watched (5-10). Speaking of which, wouldn't Billy Riggins, or the actor who plays him, make a great George W. if they ever make another movie about him? On this note, a few weeks ago I posted about portrayals of academia on TV shows, and this season of FNL has a doozy. Tammy, visionary high school guidance counselor, is somewhat magically offered the job of Dean of Admissions at "prestigious" Braemore College (I kept thinking they were saying "Bryn Mawr" until I saw the crest) in upstate New York. I did think that the affable college president who offers her the position was pretty authentically portrayed, though...]

GENIUS IDEA FOR NEXT 4TH OF JULY

Get Vik Muniz to design the fireworks.

 He made a "cloud" out of an airplane's wake:

The Mona Lisa out of peanut butter and jelly:

 He recreated Guido Reni's Atalanta and Hippomenes with pieces of junk:

 And made this image out of sugar:

 Imagine what he'd do with flames, fire, rockets, and colored light...

R.I.P. Cy Twombly (1928—2011)

(Peonies)

Gratuitous Vacay Photos

 Natural Bridge in Eastern Kentucky

"The Squeeze" — a path up onto the bridge.

Our B&B in Savannah, GA

 Shop where SCAD students sell their work.

 

Images of a lovely weekend in Savannah, GA, one of the most charming American cities I've ever visited.

 

 Thousands of fiddler crabs in the  mud, named for their one large pincher. Pawleys Island, SC.

 Some barnacled shells we collected on the beach.

 Scream for ice cream. Georgetown, SC.

Hangin' out.