Wincing the Illinoise
If this were meant to be some kind of daily thing, I'd have a lot of catching up to do. But it's not. So I don't.
I just got back from the gym and am eating some raw tofu with hot sauce. I heard it's good to eat some protein directly after working out, so there you have it...my own weird way.
I think right about now most of America is glued to teevee sets watching the Superbowl, but not me. I'm cooling off at home listening to one of two great albums I picked up this weekend. Right now Sufjan Stevens' "Illinoise" is on and I am marveling at its paradoxical complexity and simplicity. On the surface it's a collection of folky tunes dancing around the theme of the Midwestern state. But as I dig in to the thoughtful lyrics, smartly structured harmonies hanging on catchy melodies and organic, lush instrumentation, I'm finding that the album is an enormous accomplishment -- it's a rock opera dressed up in folk clothing. I can't wait to catch up with more of his albums. He's a graduate of the New School to boot.
The other album I picked up is "Wincing the Night Away" by the Shins. They been a favorite of mine for a few years now -- I've seen them a couple times in concert and was delighted by their shoutout in Garden State and growing fame. The most recent offering does not disappoint. Their lead singer has a real gift for reaching into melodic places (frequently hitting unexpected lilting high notes) that do more than just get stuck in my head -- they make me deeply, deeply envious. And yeah, their lyrics are none too shabby.
Speaking of music -- Indelible Beancurd is making really decent progress. About a month back Dan came into town again for a final tracking session and since then I've been going into the studio a once or twice a week to mix. We are damn near to completing ten songs -- which almost makes an album. I'd like to do two or three more songs before we finish it all up, but even so I'd put money on a 2007 release.
Well, that's it for now-- I'm up to my ears in reading for the linguistics class I'm taking. Yesterday I tackled some more Noam Chomsky (which I enjoyed reading) and tonight I'll be reading a bunch of poetry from Marianne Moore.
I just got back from the gym and am eating some raw tofu with hot sauce. I heard it's good to eat some protein directly after working out, so there you have it...my own weird way.
I think right about now most of America is glued to teevee sets watching the Superbowl, but not me. I'm cooling off at home listening to one of two great albums I picked up this weekend. Right now Sufjan Stevens' "Illinoise" is on and I am marveling at its paradoxical complexity and simplicity. On the surface it's a collection of folky tunes dancing around the theme of the Midwestern state. But as I dig in to the thoughtful lyrics, smartly structured harmonies hanging on catchy melodies and organic, lush instrumentation, I'm finding that the album is an enormous accomplishment -- it's a rock opera dressed up in folk clothing. I can't wait to catch up with more of his albums. He's a graduate of the New School to boot.
The other album I picked up is "Wincing the Night Away" by the Shins. They been a favorite of mine for a few years now -- I've seen them a couple times in concert and was delighted by their shoutout in Garden State and growing fame. The most recent offering does not disappoint. Their lead singer has a real gift for reaching into melodic places (frequently hitting unexpected lilting high notes) that do more than just get stuck in my head -- they make me deeply, deeply envious. And yeah, their lyrics are none too shabby.
Speaking of music -- Indelible Beancurd is making really decent progress. About a month back Dan came into town again for a final tracking session and since then I've been going into the studio a once or twice a week to mix. We are damn near to completing ten songs -- which almost makes an album. I'd like to do two or three more songs before we finish it all up, but even so I'd put money on a 2007 release.
Well, that's it for now-- I'm up to my ears in reading for the linguistics class I'm taking. Yesterday I tackled some more Noam Chomsky (which I enjoyed reading) and tonight I'll be reading a bunch of poetry from Marianne Moore.
posted by Ethan at 5:03 PM
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