Any of you who know me personally know that I am CRAZY about the Beatles. And this little entry here is not meant to go into every little detail of that. Maybe one day I’ll write a book about it. It’s certainly not going to fit here. But I doubt you’ll ever see me go as crazy over any other song as you will a Beatles song. I don’t think that sentence was written properly—I apologize. But first of all, I just wanted you to read a few lines from a few songs that I happen to adore, for one reason or another. Maybe they’ll inspire you to check out the songs.
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup. They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe. (Across the Universe)
Now the darkness only stays at nighttime, in the morning it will fade away. Daylight is good at arriving at the right time. It's not always going to be this grey. (All Things Must Pass)
I'm in love for the first time. Don't you know it's going to last? It's a love that lasts forever, it's a love that has no past. (Don’t Let Me Down. Greatest words ever written? Hardly. But I can’t hear this part without ripping my own hair out in awe of the amazing things John Lennon can do with his voice.)
And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. (The End)
From this moment on I know exactly where my life will go. Seems that all I really was doing was waiting for love. (Real Love—released AFTER John’s death, but with him still singing lead vocals. Pretty cool. Pretty great song too.)
Your day breaks, your mind aches. There will be times when all the things she said will fill your head. You won't forget her. (For No One)
Once there was a way to get back homeward. Once there was a way to get back home. Sleep pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby. Golden slumbers fill your eyes. Smiles awake you when you rise. Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby. (Golden Slumbers, the entirety of the song actually)
Is there anybody going to listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay? She's the kind of girl you want so much it makes you sorry. Still you don't regret a single day. (Girl…I LOVE the 3rd line. It's appealing. It makes sense.)
I want to tell you, my head is filled with things to say, When you're here, all those words they seem to slip away. (I Want to Tell You…yet another that just makes sense.)
Who knows how long I've loved you? You know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will. (I Will)
Imagine I'm in love with you. It's easy, cause I know I've imagined I'm in love with you many, many, many times before. It's not like me to pretend, but I'll get you, I’ll get you in the end. Yes I will, I'll get you in the end. (I’ll Get You)
I have never known the like of this. I've been alone and I have missed things and kept out of sight, but other girls were never quite like this. (I’ve Just Seen a Face)
I look at the world and I notice it's turning while my guitar gently weeps. With every mistake we must surely be learning. Still my guitar gently weeps. (While My Guitar Gently Weeps)
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go. One sweet dream, pick up the bags and get in the limousine. Soon we'll be away from here. Step on the gas and wipe that tear away. (You Never Give Me Your Money—one of my favourite of the more random Beatles songs)
But of all these friends and lovers, there is no one compares with you. And these memories lose their meaning when I think of love as something new. (In My Life. My favourite song.)
And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see. There will be an answer, let it be. (Let It Be)
So there you go. Those are just a few.
And, okay. When you read some of them, you may not think that they are just the most amazing lyrics you’ve ever read. I will grant you that. Perhaps you have to be madly in love with the music to fully grasp why I chose them. I can pretty much guarantee you that there will be a huge difference between the Beatles fans and the non-Beatles fans who read them. The fans will likely clutch their hearts or swoon (or if you’re a guy and don’t react in quite so emotional ways, you might just nod your head in approval and understanding).
Anyway, I decided to post this in an effort to a) perhaps make you wonder about some of their music if you’re not a fan. Perhaps you’ll want to listen to some of their stuff and you’ll really like it. I dare to dream; b) bring a bit of joy to the hearts of the fans; or c) encourage you to listen to the November 29th episode of the Gratie McClock Radio Hour on winrfm.com, from 4-6 PM, because it is Beatles Day (chosen on this particular date because it is the 6-year anniversary of the day George Harrison—my personal favourite Beatle—died).
And here is an open offer to you non-fans (at least those of you who know me personally…if you don’t, then kindly leave me alone): any time you want, you may come find me and listen to Beatles music with me. I say with me rather than alone, because a) I don’t want to lend you my CD’s, and I’m still a little hesitant on the Beatles-burning thing, and b) you’ll be made to listen to it instead of just SAYING you want to listen to it and then never following through. And also, I can tell you some really cool stuff about some of the music and point out when really amazing things are happening in it. So, seriously. Whenever you want to, I will make time to listen to Beatles music with you. It says in my very first entry of this blog that I want to expose you to the music and movies and literature that have affected my life, because I want you to know the same characters and feel the same emotions that I do. So this is an obvious way to do that.
And don’t forget: Thursday, November 29th, from 4-6 PM on winrfm.com. It’s Beatles Day. And if you can’t listen to it then, you can check our podcasting site (http://www.gratiemcclock.podomatic.com/) about a day later, and it will be up. And then you can sign up for the podcast and listen every week!
Yes. That WAS a shameless plug.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Order of the Phoenix
Ah, finally a movie review. I hear the sighs of relief from all TWO of you who ever read this. : )
I went at midnight last night (Tuesday, the 10th) to see the latest installment of the Harry Potter saga. I'm a huge fan of the series--both the books and the movies. Of course, you have to go into these movies knowing that not every detail or plotline from the books will make it into the movies. Order of the Phoenix is an 870-page book. The movie would be...well, it would be more efficient just to make it a mini-series. The bare essentials have always been in the movies, but after each one is released, there is always an outcry about what was left out and how it made the movie suck.
Get over it.
I thought this film did an admirable job of fitting everything in that time could possibly allow. It moved quickly, and we may not have gotten as much time with Dumbledore's Army or the young Marauders as we would have liked, but we got the message clearly and completely intact. There are, of course, going to be militant Bookists who will say, "What about Ron and Quidditch? What about the brains in the Ministry? What about Petunia's Howler? That was hardly Snape's Worst Memory!" (Do those tidbits make you want to read the books???) And they are entitled to rant all they want. But this is my blog and I'm telling you, it would have been difficult to stick all of that stuff in within a time limit that would still draw such a huge crowd. Would I sit through the 5-hour movie they'd have to make to fit a lot more in? Yes. But I'm one of comparatively few. With the vast material they had to work with, I doubt they could have pulled this off better.
Visually, this film is just spectacular. Within the first two minutes, I was whispering sentiments of awe to my surrounding friends, and this was before any magic was involved. It's a beautifully executed visual smorgasbord. First of all, the Dementors are even more terrifying than they were in Prisoner of Azkaban. I literally shrieked when I saw the first one pop into Little Whinging out of nowhere. The scene in the Ministry is as frightening, the room is as ominous, and the Death Eaters put up as horrific a fight as I imagined in the books. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place looked as if somehow the picture in Jo Rowling's mind was extracted and put onto film. The scenes of witches and wizards flying in front of Parliament and all through London are exciting and stunning. Voldemort. Is. TERRIFYING. I feel as though I could watch this film on mute and still be impressed. However, that would cause us to miss out on some of the even more wonderous aspects of this film.
There was not one bad performance in this film. The new characters introduced were brilliant--Evanna Lynch as the spacey but pure-hearted Luna Lovegood was perfect. Natalia Tena was as spunky and tough as Rowling wrote Nymphadora Tonks to be. Helena Bonham Carter WAS Bellatrix Lestrange, just as evil and deranged as she could be, and Imelda Staunton executed the role of Dolores Umbridge with such sickening, disgusting sweetness that I found myself nursing the desperate desire to kick her in the throat. And if you know what Umbridge is supposed to be like, then you realize that to be the mark of a superb performance.
I felt that this was also Michael Gambon's best shot at Dumbledore. I've never felt Dumbledore was quite right in the films. Richard Harris was a bit too soft-spoken and gentle. Michael Gambon has yet been just a tad harsh and demanding. Rowling's Dumbledore is somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, and Gambon was the closest in this film that either Dumbledore has yet been. This could be due to his limited screen time, but what time he had was spent effectively. Ralph Fiennes of course produces a stunning performance as the Dark Lord--how one man can be such a swoon-worthy, charming male lead in a movie such as Maid in Manhattan, and then turn around and scare the pants off of 20-year-olds as the Ultimate Evil is just beyond me. But Fiennes does it, superbly, and it never even crosses your mind once that this is the same handsome man who made out with J. Lo. Seriously, I was a little scared that night while trying to fall asleep. The man was frightening.
And Matthew Lewis is just heartbreaking as Neville Longbottom. I swear, if these movies ever reach Oscar potential (unlikely, but one can always hope, right?) he should win Best Supporting Actor. He rips at the viewer's emotions almost more than Harry does. Lewis was The Only choice to play Neville: he somehow, miraculously, perfectly shows us all the confusion, torment, and purity Neville contains inside himself without ever having to say a word. And the few words he does say just make you want to be the guy's best friend. I can think of no other character that evokes such simultaneous pity and pride within a viewer/reader.
Two actors that impressed yet again were Gary Oldman and Jason Issacs. Of course, these guys never seem to give a bad performance in any film, but it seems as though these parts were practically written for them. Issacs is pure evil in this film, and it's fantastic. He's on the right hand of the devil, and he's all too proud of it. He's a truly sinister man, and if there is one man who can pull off sinister, it's Jason Issacs. Gary Oldman is PERFECT as Sirius Black, worn with suffering, anger, and the sorrow of loss, while still retaining that roguish, youthful, and slightly arrogant sense of adventure and passion. (Let's face it, shall we? Sirius Black is a hot character.)
But let's not forget some of the most important people in the film: the trio. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson were good little actors way back in the days of the Sorcerer's Stone. And we've grown up with them (some of us quite literally--they are all between 6 months and 2 years younger than I am) and seen them develop their acting skills, and no one can see this film and not realize how far they've come and how hard they've worked to get here. Dan started out as such a cute, innocent young boy, and now is able to play incredibly intense scenes just wrought with emotion. My most emotional reactions are in response to HIS most emotional reactions. Emma has done such a beautiful job making Hermione transition into a young lady as I believe Hermione really would. She retains her basic personality, but just grows her up as she experiences more of life. And then there's Rupert. And some of you may know that I am a huge fan(girl) of his, and that I'd probably say he was my favorite even if he sucked. But he doesn't. When he started out, he was more the plucky comic relief than anything, but he has grown into such a fantastic natural actor. He's no longer about cute faces and a nervous voice. He is everything Ronald Weasley is supposed to be, and he makes it look absolutely effortless. I personally believe he's been the best of the three all along, and that has nothing to do with my girlish admiration for him.
And the three of them together pull off EXACTLY the type of dynamic Rowling writes between the book characters. I don't know even how to describe it. There is one scene, by a fireplace, I think, right after The Big Kiss Scene, where the three of them are sitting and just discussing this huge (yet comparatively VERY normal) event in Harry's life, and you fail to see three young actors on the screen. You see instead three young friends, sitting by a fireplace and discussing one's first kiss. Picking on one another, laughing and joking. IT IS THE TRIO. Not Daniel, Rupert, and Emma, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It's brilliant.
I think a lot of the new effects this film has (on the screen and on our emotions) has everything to do with the new director, David Yates. Of course, each of the past three directors in the Potter saga has brought something new, different, and amazing in its own way to the films, but Yates goes way beyond what Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, or Mike Newell did (no disrespect intended--I love every one of these films. Well done, men). Each of the other films had a very specific atmosphere, due to the director. This one is not different in that respect, but the others always felt a little disjunct. More like real, separate films, rather than different segments of the same story. Each (combining Sorcerer's Stone with Chamber of Secrets, of course) was sort of a singular, separate item. But Yates has taken certain measures to incorporate things from each of the other films, tying them into this one and making it seem more like a collaborative effort than HIS work of art (such as the flashback to the Mirror of Erised, but with the new memory intrusion by Snape). He seems more concerned with making it all fit together as one story than making his imprint on the Harry Potter phenomenon. Funny, then, that he's managed to produce the best film yet.
Also, he fits in little subtle bits--just looks and gestures from one character to another--that give the viewer a much greater sense of the inner workings of the Potter characters than a non-reader could normally pick up on. Many subtle looks and moments between Ron and Hermione emphasize the tension and unspoken feelings between them without there ever being a blatant "RON AND HERMIONE ARE IN LOVE" moment. Yates has made sure that there is just enough foreshadowing in that area. Harry and Ron also have at least one look exchanged between them that just shows a tiny bit better the extent of their friendship. It's a Boy Look, and it's perfect. Also, I don't believe the book ever says anything about the love interest Harry has in the series besides Cho (I won't mention names, for those of you who are solely Potter Film fans), but there is just a brief second in the movie that hints of things to come, to prepare you Filmists for the future without really giving any spoilers. It's handled just perfectly.
I don't know what else I can tell you about this film to make you want to go see it. I can't give it enough praise. I am a huge Harry Potter fan. Nerd, to the highest degree. I think that absolutely everyone should read the books, as well as embrace the movies. And I am telling you: GO SEE THIS FILM. It is the best one yet. I laughed, I cried, I squeezed the hands of the friends on either side of me in excitement and fear. It is an emotional roller coaster and a magical phenomenon. Everything that Harry Potter is supposed to be.
I went at midnight last night (Tuesday, the 10th) to see the latest installment of the Harry Potter saga. I'm a huge fan of the series--both the books and the movies. Of course, you have to go into these movies knowing that not every detail or plotline from the books will make it into the movies. Order of the Phoenix is an 870-page book. The movie would be...well, it would be more efficient just to make it a mini-series. The bare essentials have always been in the movies, but after each one is released, there is always an outcry about what was left out and how it made the movie suck.
Get over it.
I thought this film did an admirable job of fitting everything in that time could possibly allow. It moved quickly, and we may not have gotten as much time with Dumbledore's Army or the young Marauders as we would have liked, but we got the message clearly and completely intact. There are, of course, going to be militant Bookists who will say, "What about Ron and Quidditch? What about the brains in the Ministry? What about Petunia's Howler? That was hardly Snape's Worst Memory!" (Do those tidbits make you want to read the books???) And they are entitled to rant all they want. But this is my blog and I'm telling you, it would have been difficult to stick all of that stuff in within a time limit that would still draw such a huge crowd. Would I sit through the 5-hour movie they'd have to make to fit a lot more in? Yes. But I'm one of comparatively few. With the vast material they had to work with, I doubt they could have pulled this off better.
Visually, this film is just spectacular. Within the first two minutes, I was whispering sentiments of awe to my surrounding friends, and this was before any magic was involved. It's a beautifully executed visual smorgasbord. First of all, the Dementors are even more terrifying than they were in Prisoner of Azkaban. I literally shrieked when I saw the first one pop into Little Whinging out of nowhere. The scene in the Ministry is as frightening, the room is as ominous, and the Death Eaters put up as horrific a fight as I imagined in the books. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place looked as if somehow the picture in Jo Rowling's mind was extracted and put onto film. The scenes of witches and wizards flying in front of Parliament and all through London are exciting and stunning. Voldemort. Is. TERRIFYING. I feel as though I could watch this film on mute and still be impressed. However, that would cause us to miss out on some of the even more wonderous aspects of this film.
There was not one bad performance in this film. The new characters introduced were brilliant--Evanna Lynch as the spacey but pure-hearted Luna Lovegood was perfect. Natalia Tena was as spunky and tough as Rowling wrote Nymphadora Tonks to be. Helena Bonham Carter WAS Bellatrix Lestrange, just as evil and deranged as she could be, and Imelda Staunton executed the role of Dolores Umbridge with such sickening, disgusting sweetness that I found myself nursing the desperate desire to kick her in the throat. And if you know what Umbridge is supposed to be like, then you realize that to be the mark of a superb performance.
I felt that this was also Michael Gambon's best shot at Dumbledore. I've never felt Dumbledore was quite right in the films. Richard Harris was a bit too soft-spoken and gentle. Michael Gambon has yet been just a tad harsh and demanding. Rowling's Dumbledore is somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, and Gambon was the closest in this film that either Dumbledore has yet been. This could be due to his limited screen time, but what time he had was spent effectively. Ralph Fiennes of course produces a stunning performance as the Dark Lord--how one man can be such a swoon-worthy, charming male lead in a movie such as Maid in Manhattan, and then turn around and scare the pants off of 20-year-olds as the Ultimate Evil is just beyond me. But Fiennes does it, superbly, and it never even crosses your mind once that this is the same handsome man who made out with J. Lo. Seriously, I was a little scared that night while trying to fall asleep. The man was frightening.
And Matthew Lewis is just heartbreaking as Neville Longbottom. I swear, if these movies ever reach Oscar potential (unlikely, but one can always hope, right?) he should win Best Supporting Actor. He rips at the viewer's emotions almost more than Harry does. Lewis was The Only choice to play Neville: he somehow, miraculously, perfectly shows us all the confusion, torment, and purity Neville contains inside himself without ever having to say a word. And the few words he does say just make you want to be the guy's best friend. I can think of no other character that evokes such simultaneous pity and pride within a viewer/reader.
Two actors that impressed yet again were Gary Oldman and Jason Issacs. Of course, these guys never seem to give a bad performance in any film, but it seems as though these parts were practically written for them. Issacs is pure evil in this film, and it's fantastic. He's on the right hand of the devil, and he's all too proud of it. He's a truly sinister man, and if there is one man who can pull off sinister, it's Jason Issacs. Gary Oldman is PERFECT as Sirius Black, worn with suffering, anger, and the sorrow of loss, while still retaining that roguish, youthful, and slightly arrogant sense of adventure and passion. (Let's face it, shall we? Sirius Black is a hot character.)
But let's not forget some of the most important people in the film: the trio. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson were good little actors way back in the days of the Sorcerer's Stone. And we've grown up with them (some of us quite literally--they are all between 6 months and 2 years younger than I am) and seen them develop their acting skills, and no one can see this film and not realize how far they've come and how hard they've worked to get here. Dan started out as such a cute, innocent young boy, and now is able to play incredibly intense scenes just wrought with emotion. My most emotional reactions are in response to HIS most emotional reactions. Emma has done such a beautiful job making Hermione transition into a young lady as I believe Hermione really would. She retains her basic personality, but just grows her up as she experiences more of life. And then there's Rupert. And some of you may know that I am a huge fan(girl) of his, and that I'd probably say he was my favorite even if he sucked. But he doesn't. When he started out, he was more the plucky comic relief than anything, but he has grown into such a fantastic natural actor. He's no longer about cute faces and a nervous voice. He is everything Ronald Weasley is supposed to be, and he makes it look absolutely effortless. I personally believe he's been the best of the three all along, and that has nothing to do with my girlish admiration for him.
And the three of them together pull off EXACTLY the type of dynamic Rowling writes between the book characters. I don't know even how to describe it. There is one scene, by a fireplace, I think, right after The Big Kiss Scene, where the three of them are sitting and just discussing this huge (yet comparatively VERY normal) event in Harry's life, and you fail to see three young actors on the screen. You see instead three young friends, sitting by a fireplace and discussing one's first kiss. Picking on one another, laughing and joking. IT IS THE TRIO. Not Daniel, Rupert, and Emma, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It's brilliant.
I think a lot of the new effects this film has (on the screen and on our emotions) has everything to do with the new director, David Yates. Of course, each of the past three directors in the Potter saga has brought something new, different, and amazing in its own way to the films, but Yates goes way beyond what Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, or Mike Newell did (no disrespect intended--I love every one of these films. Well done, men). Each of the other films had a very specific atmosphere, due to the director. This one is not different in that respect, but the others always felt a little disjunct. More like real, separate films, rather than different segments of the same story. Each (combining Sorcerer's Stone with Chamber of Secrets, of course) was sort of a singular, separate item. But Yates has taken certain measures to incorporate things from each of the other films, tying them into this one and making it seem more like a collaborative effort than HIS work of art (such as the flashback to the Mirror of Erised, but with the new memory intrusion by Snape). He seems more concerned with making it all fit together as one story than making his imprint on the Harry Potter phenomenon. Funny, then, that he's managed to produce the best film yet.
Also, he fits in little subtle bits--just looks and gestures from one character to another--that give the viewer a much greater sense of the inner workings of the Potter characters than a non-reader could normally pick up on. Many subtle looks and moments between Ron and Hermione emphasize the tension and unspoken feelings between them without there ever being a blatant "RON AND HERMIONE ARE IN LOVE" moment. Yates has made sure that there is just enough foreshadowing in that area. Harry and Ron also have at least one look exchanged between them that just shows a tiny bit better the extent of their friendship. It's a Boy Look, and it's perfect. Also, I don't believe the book ever says anything about the love interest Harry has in the series besides Cho (I won't mention names, for those of you who are solely Potter Film fans), but there is just a brief second in the movie that hints of things to come, to prepare you Filmists for the future without really giving any spoilers. It's handled just perfectly.
I don't know what else I can tell you about this film to make you want to go see it. I can't give it enough praise. I am a huge Harry Potter fan. Nerd, to the highest degree. I think that absolutely everyone should read the books, as well as embrace the movies. And I am telling you: GO SEE THIS FILM. It is the best one yet. I laughed, I cried, I squeezed the hands of the friends on either side of me in excitement and fear. It is an emotional roller coaster and a magical phenomenon. Everything that Harry Potter is supposed to be.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
G. Love & Special Sauce
I hate that so much of this blog is about music--I'm sorry about that. I PROMISE a book review will be coming soon. I've already got the book in mind, so all you have to do is wait it out.
Anyway, years and years ago, my pal Will told me about some guy named G. Love. He was a fan of his music, I think, and Will's had more than a couple of pals in the time I've known him who have been in bands, and I assumed that G. Love was one of those guys. Just some guy Will knew who was probably adequate with a guitar. Seemed likely.
Do you guys remember 3 or 4 years ago when Coke started using "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" for its commercials again, changing the words to, "I'd like to teach the world to chill," and I think somewhere in the song it said, "I'd like to give the world a Coke?" Well, I was fond of those commercials. I thought they sort of embodied the fun, mellow atmosphere of summer, and I really liked the guy's voice who was singing the song. I mention this fact to Will one day, and what does he tell me? THAT'S G. LOVE! He wasn't some pal of Will's--he was a real guy, who had had a couple of pretty popular songs. He headed up a trio called G. Love and Special Sauce, and pretty much all of their songs had the same laid-back, funky feel as the Coke song.
Well, I had forgotten completely about G. Love until about two days ago. But on one of the XM radio stations we get with DirecTV, I heard the original version of "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (by the New Seekers), and I thought I should download that, but while doing so, I remembered G. Love. I tried to find his copy of the Coke song, but to no avail.
However, I did end up downloading about 20 or so of his songs, and I am just enjoying the heck out of them. I'm not really one to use the word "chill" as an adjective, but that's the one that comes to mind when faced with describing G. Love's music. It's not profound. It's not deep. It's not inspiring. It sports such sentiments as, "Caught a chill vibe, orange juice in my ride. Wawa's to the right, they got beverage inside," or, "I don't want my Wheaties, give 'em to the needy. Feelin' kinda greedy, I keep 'em for myself." Or how about, "I was hungry, my take-0ut had been fixin'; ordered fried rice, egg roll, wonton, and big chicken?" True, I just chose some of the most ridiculous lyrics I could find, but these are all from cool, catchy songs.
Not all of them are quite as ludicrous as these ("Cold Beverage," "Milk and Cereal," and "Rhyme for the Summertime," respectively), but I'm not exactly knocking the lack of depth and meaning in songs such as these. For being lazy, lying out in the sun, or just riding around (if you're fortunate enough to have a car and/or license), this stuff is not too shabby. However, if you want the same fun, mellow sound without the ridiculous food references and artless rhymes, I'd recommend such tunes as, "Love," "Kiss and Tell," "Gimme Some Lovin'," and "Free at Last." Those are just a few of the ones I'm getting pretty fond of.
By the way, the group has actually done a few things with one Mr. Jack Johnson (I know a lot of people are pretty fond of him, so he's probably a good plug for G. Love). They've been friends since the group's 4th album, Philadelphonic, they did some shows together, recorded a couple of songs, and they are now on Johnson's label, Brushfire Records. Also (fun little tidbit), they used to be the house band on the Comedy Central show, "Turn Ben Stein On."
So you should go check these guys out. Will they change your life? Probably not. But they'll give you a fun soundtrack to live it by.
Anyway, years and years ago, my pal Will told me about some guy named G. Love. He was a fan of his music, I think, and Will's had more than a couple of pals in the time I've known him who have been in bands, and I assumed that G. Love was one of those guys. Just some guy Will knew who was probably adequate with a guitar. Seemed likely.
Do you guys remember 3 or 4 years ago when Coke started using "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" for its commercials again, changing the words to, "I'd like to teach the world to chill," and I think somewhere in the song it said, "I'd like to give the world a Coke?" Well, I was fond of those commercials. I thought they sort of embodied the fun, mellow atmosphere of summer, and I really liked the guy's voice who was singing the song. I mention this fact to Will one day, and what does he tell me? THAT'S G. LOVE! He wasn't some pal of Will's--he was a real guy, who had had a couple of pretty popular songs. He headed up a trio called G. Love and Special Sauce, and pretty much all of their songs had the same laid-back, funky feel as the Coke song.
Well, I had forgotten completely about G. Love until about two days ago. But on one of the XM radio stations we get with DirecTV, I heard the original version of "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (by the New Seekers), and I thought I should download that, but while doing so, I remembered G. Love. I tried to find his copy of the Coke song, but to no avail.
However, I did end up downloading about 20 or so of his songs, and I am just enjoying the heck out of them. I'm not really one to use the word "chill" as an adjective, but that's the one that comes to mind when faced with describing G. Love's music. It's not profound. It's not deep. It's not inspiring. It sports such sentiments as, "Caught a chill vibe, orange juice in my ride. Wawa's to the right, they got beverage inside," or, "I don't want my Wheaties, give 'em to the needy. Feelin' kinda greedy, I keep 'em for myself." Or how about, "I was hungry, my take-0ut had been fixin'; ordered fried rice, egg roll, wonton, and big chicken?" True, I just chose some of the most ridiculous lyrics I could find, but these are all from cool, catchy songs.
Not all of them are quite as ludicrous as these ("Cold Beverage," "Milk and Cereal," and "Rhyme for the Summertime," respectively), but I'm not exactly knocking the lack of depth and meaning in songs such as these. For being lazy, lying out in the sun, or just riding around (if you're fortunate enough to have a car and/or license), this stuff is not too shabby. However, if you want the same fun, mellow sound without the ridiculous food references and artless rhymes, I'd recommend such tunes as, "Love," "Kiss and Tell," "Gimme Some Lovin'," and "Free at Last." Those are just a few of the ones I'm getting pretty fond of.
By the way, the group has actually done a few things with one Mr. Jack Johnson (I know a lot of people are pretty fond of him, so he's probably a good plug for G. Love). They've been friends since the group's 4th album, Philadelphonic, they did some shows together, recorded a couple of songs, and they are now on Johnson's label, Brushfire Records. Also (fun little tidbit), they used to be the house band on the Comedy Central show, "Turn Ben Stein On."
So you should go check these guys out. Will they change your life? Probably not. But they'll give you a fun soundtrack to live it by.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Damien Rice: 9
I’m really going to have to write in this blog more often. There are so many things out there that you people should know about.
This entry just happens to be about Damien Rice’s new album (well, new to me anyway. It’s been around for a few months, I think), entitled, “9.”
If you listened to his first album, “O,” then you sort of have a hint of what this one is like. Not saying that it’s the same album at all. The music style is very similar, which is funny, because Damien said that he started recording this album with every intention of having a much heavier sound. It didn’t turn out that way, but he was okay with that, because he ended up recording the kind of music he would want to listen to. And it is just amazing.
For those of you who don’t know anything about him, Damien is an Irish singer/songwriter, and his music is different than anything else I’ve ever heard. He uses a good bit of cello in his music (a good decision, in my opinion), and he ends up with these great, beautiful, intense sort of heart wrenching songs. Also, he enlists the aid of his friend Lisa Hannigan for some of the vocals, and their voices complement one another so well. They have a great, mellow, honest sound. Does that make sense, that their sound is honest? Give it a listen and see if you agree.
I think what’s different about this album, as opposed to “O,” is that it is almost impossible to pick a favorite song from it. While I like every song on “O,” there is one song that stands out to me as the best one: “The Blower’s Daughter.” It was what first got me hooked on Damien Rice, from the first time I heard it. It was on a friend’s MySpace page, and from the first notes, I couldn’t stop listening. It’s a truly beautiful song, and because of it, I acquired his CD at my first opportunity. I fell in love with the music and have been anxiously awaiting his next release ever since.
Now it’s here, and I cannot choose a favorite song. There are three that are absolutely fantastic, another two that I can’t get enough of, and I just am not familiar enough with the others yet to judge. I think the worst thing I can say for the CD is that the final track, “Sleep Don’t Weep” is highly reminiscent of “Cold Water,” from his first album; but since both songs are completely gorgeous, you really can’t complain about it. The songs that are sort of heavier, like, “Me, My Yoke, and I,” and “9 Crimes” aren’t my favorites, but neither are they songs that I can dismiss as being bad. I like every song on this CD. How many artists can you say that about? There are precious few in the world, let me tell you. However, if you just want to listen to a couple of good ones on the CD, let me recommend them: first of all, “The Animals Were Gone.” Typical Damien. It’s beautiful, and it has some of the best lyrics on the CD. Its lyrics are relatively simple, relaying such sentiments as, “I love your depression, and I love your double chin,” but if that’s not a nice thing to say to someone, I sure don’t know what is. And the thought of making “babies and accidental songs” is a lovely thing to aspire to in a marriage. This was the first song I heard from the album and, as “The Blower’s Daughter” did, it had me from the get-go. Another one is “Elephant.” I won’t lie: I don’t have a full grasp on what this song means yet, but it’s so intense the whole time, but not in a heavy sort of way. It’s got a “whisper-to-a-scream” type of dynamic. His voice is the sole music in the beginning, but more music is added with each section (I don’t know if “stanza” is the appropriate word), and eventually it gets pretty hard-core, once we reach, “What’s the point of this song? Or even singing? You’ve already gone, why am I clinging?” but it’s still just beautiful! How he pulls off hard-core and beautiful at the same time is pretty remarkable. By the end of the song, it’s back to just his voice, and you can barely even hear that as the song fades out. Amazing. (If you want to hear either of these songs, they are both on his MySpace page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=38029055&MyToken=5be6194c-020a-49f6-b401-b7b346077274)
Also, “Accidental Babies.” This is arguably my sister’s favorite. Again, with the simple lyrics: “Do you brush your teeth before you kiss? Do you miss my smell?” It’s brilliant how simple it is. And this one is just Damien and a piano, and I hate that there aren’t more good synonyms for “beautiful,” but with that being the case, I just have to say that it is BEAUTIFUL. It’s sensual and sincere and a little bit heartbreaking, but it’s just beautiful.
What’s amazing is that Damien is just not afraid to say anything. As a result, some of his stuff is probably more scandalous than you’re comfortable with. Hopefully, though, you can see past that and recognize it for the brilliant songwriting that it is. Just watch out: “Rootless Tree” does drop the F-bomb, and “Accidental Babies” has some pretty blatant sexual themes, but those things pale to utter insignificance in light of the overall beauty of this album. The honesty and boldness in his lyrics is one of the strong points of his writing style.
I can’t guarantee that you’ll like him—I know my dad didn’t care for him, and someone else told me he’s more of an acquired taste. But I’m the one writing the review, after all, and I fell in love with his music from the first line of “The Blower’s Daughter.” So I think you should listen to him. I mentioned this CD in one of my recent LiveJournal entries, and what I said was, “I don’t know what it is that he does to me, but the only way I can explain it is that his music makes me feel like I’m in love. Does that make sense? It makes my heart swell, and I feel like I am in love. It’s pretty brilliant when an artist can do that to you.” So I guess that’s really all I can say for him. You’ve got to go experience it for yourself.
This entry just happens to be about Damien Rice’s new album (well, new to me anyway. It’s been around for a few months, I think), entitled, “9.”
If you listened to his first album, “O,” then you sort of have a hint of what this one is like. Not saying that it’s the same album at all. The music style is very similar, which is funny, because Damien said that he started recording this album with every intention of having a much heavier sound. It didn’t turn out that way, but he was okay with that, because he ended up recording the kind of music he would want to listen to. And it is just amazing.
For those of you who don’t know anything about him, Damien is an Irish singer/songwriter, and his music is different than anything else I’ve ever heard. He uses a good bit of cello in his music (a good decision, in my opinion), and he ends up with these great, beautiful, intense sort of heart wrenching songs. Also, he enlists the aid of his friend Lisa Hannigan for some of the vocals, and their voices complement one another so well. They have a great, mellow, honest sound. Does that make sense, that their sound is honest? Give it a listen and see if you agree.
I think what’s different about this album, as opposed to “O,” is that it is almost impossible to pick a favorite song from it. While I like every song on “O,” there is one song that stands out to me as the best one: “The Blower’s Daughter.” It was what first got me hooked on Damien Rice, from the first time I heard it. It was on a friend’s MySpace page, and from the first notes, I couldn’t stop listening. It’s a truly beautiful song, and because of it, I acquired his CD at my first opportunity. I fell in love with the music and have been anxiously awaiting his next release ever since.
Now it’s here, and I cannot choose a favorite song. There are three that are absolutely fantastic, another two that I can’t get enough of, and I just am not familiar enough with the others yet to judge. I think the worst thing I can say for the CD is that the final track, “Sleep Don’t Weep” is highly reminiscent of “Cold Water,” from his first album; but since both songs are completely gorgeous, you really can’t complain about it. The songs that are sort of heavier, like, “Me, My Yoke, and I,” and “9 Crimes” aren’t my favorites, but neither are they songs that I can dismiss as being bad. I like every song on this CD. How many artists can you say that about? There are precious few in the world, let me tell you. However, if you just want to listen to a couple of good ones on the CD, let me recommend them: first of all, “The Animals Were Gone.” Typical Damien. It’s beautiful, and it has some of the best lyrics on the CD. Its lyrics are relatively simple, relaying such sentiments as, “I love your depression, and I love your double chin,” but if that’s not a nice thing to say to someone, I sure don’t know what is. And the thought of making “babies and accidental songs” is a lovely thing to aspire to in a marriage. This was the first song I heard from the album and, as “The Blower’s Daughter” did, it had me from the get-go. Another one is “Elephant.” I won’t lie: I don’t have a full grasp on what this song means yet, but it’s so intense the whole time, but not in a heavy sort of way. It’s got a “whisper-to-a-scream” type of dynamic. His voice is the sole music in the beginning, but more music is added with each section (I don’t know if “stanza” is the appropriate word), and eventually it gets pretty hard-core, once we reach, “What’s the point of this song? Or even singing? You’ve already gone, why am I clinging?” but it’s still just beautiful! How he pulls off hard-core and beautiful at the same time is pretty remarkable. By the end of the song, it’s back to just his voice, and you can barely even hear that as the song fades out. Amazing. (If you want to hear either of these songs, they are both on his MySpace page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=38029055&MyToken=5be6194c-020a-49f6-b401-b7b346077274)
Also, “Accidental Babies.” This is arguably my sister’s favorite. Again, with the simple lyrics: “Do you brush your teeth before you kiss? Do you miss my smell?” It’s brilliant how simple it is. And this one is just Damien and a piano, and I hate that there aren’t more good synonyms for “beautiful,” but with that being the case, I just have to say that it is BEAUTIFUL. It’s sensual and sincere and a little bit heartbreaking, but it’s just beautiful.
What’s amazing is that Damien is just not afraid to say anything. As a result, some of his stuff is probably more scandalous than you’re comfortable with. Hopefully, though, you can see past that and recognize it for the brilliant songwriting that it is. Just watch out: “Rootless Tree” does drop the F-bomb, and “Accidental Babies” has some pretty blatant sexual themes, but those things pale to utter insignificance in light of the overall beauty of this album. The honesty and boldness in his lyrics is one of the strong points of his writing style.
I can’t guarantee that you’ll like him—I know my dad didn’t care for him, and someone else told me he’s more of an acquired taste. But I’m the one writing the review, after all, and I fell in love with his music from the first line of “The Blower’s Daughter.” So I think you should listen to him. I mentioned this CD in one of my recent LiveJournal entries, and what I said was, “I don’t know what it is that he does to me, but the only way I can explain it is that his music makes me feel like I’m in love. Does that make sense? It makes my heart swell, and I feel like I am in love. It’s pretty brilliant when an artist can do that to you.” So I guess that’s really all I can say for him. You’ve got to go experience it for yourself.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Jalaloddin Rumi
Now, my first review is going to be of something that many of you are unlikely to care about, but it’s really impressed me. There hasn’t been a lot in my World Lit class that’s just stuck out to me, but right now, we’re studying Islamic literature, and we’ve been looking at the poetry of Jalaloddin Rumi. And he’s pretty amazing. He writes these poems, and they’re all pretty short (some only a few lines), and all tend to deal with the Sufi ideals, like separating yourself from the material world and being unified in nature and whatnot. Very sort of transcendental stuff. And the language is very simple, you know? Not extremely flowery, and easy to read. They’re pretty much first draft poems too, because he just recited them, and others wrote them down, and he rarely changed any lines once he read them. These amazing, beautiful poems were first tries. Brilliant.
And what’s really remarkable is that, although the literature is Islamic, it can be applied to our God, and to other religions. Several times, he refers to God as “Friend,” and sometimes God refers to the human as “Friend,” which I really like—viewing God as our best, most important friend. It has themes of God being our support, and how we have to give up our lives to God in order to really live, and letting God use you for His will. It’s pretty powerful stuff. I have every intention of reading more of it than is in my Lit book.
Here are a few of his poems that I particularly liked:
Friend, our closeness is this:
Anywhere you put your foot, feel me
in the firmness under you.
How is it with this love,
I see your world and not you?
Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.
A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot
where it’s being boiled.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
The cook knocks it down with the ladle.
“Don’t you try to jump out.
You think I’m torturing you,
I’m giving you flavor,
so you can mix with spices and rice
and be the lovely vitality of a human being.
Remember when you drank rain in the garden.
That was for this.”
Grace first. Sexual pleasure,
then a boiling new life begins,
and the Friend has something good to eat.
I don’t know if you’ll like these as much as I do, but I think you should read them a couple of times and mull them over for awhile. If you’re interested in more of his poetry, I just found a lot of it at http://www.armory.com/~thrace/sufi/poems.html
And what’s really remarkable is that, although the literature is Islamic, it can be applied to our God, and to other religions. Several times, he refers to God as “Friend,” and sometimes God refers to the human as “Friend,” which I really like—viewing God as our best, most important friend. It has themes of God being our support, and how we have to give up our lives to God in order to really live, and letting God use you for His will. It’s pretty powerful stuff. I have every intention of reading more of it than is in my Lit book.
Here are a few of his poems that I particularly liked:
Friend, our closeness is this:
Anywhere you put your foot, feel me
in the firmness under you.
How is it with this love,
I see your world and not you?
Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.
A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot
where it’s being boiled.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
The cook knocks it down with the ladle.
“Don’t you try to jump out.
You think I’m torturing you,
I’m giving you flavor,
so you can mix with spices and rice
and be the lovely vitality of a human being.
Remember when you drank rain in the garden.
That was for this.”
Grace first. Sexual pleasure,
then a boiling new life begins,
and the Friend has something good to eat.
I don’t know if you’ll like these as much as I do, but I think you should read them a couple of times and mull them over for awhile. If you’re interested in more of his poetry, I just found a lot of it at http://www.armory.com/~thrace/sufi/poems.html
Monday, April 9, 2007
And I Know This Is the Book I Write
I had to sign up for a blog/Google account in order to do this project for my Mass Comm class. I don't really need to use it, since I already have a LiveJournal, 2 Xangas, a personal journal, a MySpace, and an old, defunct Blogspot, but I couldn't very well just pass it up. I'm a blogger by nature. I love to blog.
So what could I possibly do with this one? Not another journal-type thing: if I have something worth sharing to write, then in goes in the LJ, and if I don't want to share it, that's what I have my personal journal for. So what in the world will be done with this one?
Well, I'll tell you.
If you know me at all, then you probably know that stories are a very integral part of my life. I see everyone as a character. Sometimes, I'll formulate sentences to describe them in my head, like I'm mentally writing the Story of My Life. I share stories about everyone I know with everyone else I know because I want them to know the same characters I do.
I see every event in my life as a plot point.
Every time I see a new film or read a new book, if it impresses me even a little bit, then I absorb its characters and their stories so that they become a part of my own. So I'm not just Grace McClellan. I'm Grace McClellan, and I'm a bit of Jo March and Elizabeth Bennet and Jack Sparrow and Peter Pan and Bridget Jones and Pam Beesly and Ferris Bueller and Sabrina Fairchild and Jiminy Glick and Edward Bloom and Lorelai Gilmore and Hermione Granger...does that make any sense? Every time I meet new characters and learn their stories, it helps to make me just a little more complete. That sounds fruity, doesn't it? I can live with that.
It's the same thing with music, really. Because most songs have a story, and if they don't, then you can usually create one, because hearing is one of the senses that is best at evoking memories. So even if you don't have a story for a song when you first hear it, you may hear it ten years later, and one will pop into your head because of what was happening in your life when you first heard it. There's a story in everything, I'm telling you.
So, what I'm saying, and what this has all been leading up to is that I am going to use this Blog as a film/literature/television/music recommendation site. I want you all to be inspired to read and see the things I do, to have these experiences, and know these characters. I wouldn't write these things out for me--I've experienced them; it would be pointless. I just really hope that one of you will read a recommendation and say, "Hey, that sounds kind of amazing, maybe I'll have a go at it." And if one person reads one book or sees one movie and really falls in love with it, then that would just make my life. And I would be proud of myself, and proud of the person, and all would be well with the world.
So that's what this is. My mediocre attempt at making the world a better place by imposing my views on film and literature upon others. : )
I'll probably start posting tomorrow or the next day, so keep a weather eye.
(P.S. Just so we all know, I did, in fact, steal this reviewing idea from one Mr. Christopher Fox, and his Fox Books Xanga site. Sorry, pal.)
And, in case you were wondering, the title of this blog comes from the closing lines of "Stranger Than Fiction," a fantastic film about which I will probably write at some point.
"As Harold took a bite of Bavarian sugar cookie, he finally felt as if everything was going to be ok. Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange, but I also know that it just so happens to be true."
So what could I possibly do with this one? Not another journal-type thing: if I have something worth sharing to write, then in goes in the LJ, and if I don't want to share it, that's what I have my personal journal for. So what in the world will be done with this one?
Well, I'll tell you.
If you know me at all, then you probably know that stories are a very integral part of my life. I see everyone as a character. Sometimes, I'll formulate sentences to describe them in my head, like I'm mentally writing the Story of My Life. I share stories about everyone I know with everyone else I know because I want them to know the same characters I do.
I see every event in my life as a plot point.
Every time I see a new film or read a new book, if it impresses me even a little bit, then I absorb its characters and their stories so that they become a part of my own. So I'm not just Grace McClellan. I'm Grace McClellan, and I'm a bit of Jo March and Elizabeth Bennet and Jack Sparrow and Peter Pan and Bridget Jones and Pam Beesly and Ferris Bueller and Sabrina Fairchild and Jiminy Glick and Edward Bloom and Lorelai Gilmore and Hermione Granger...does that make any sense? Every time I meet new characters and learn their stories, it helps to make me just a little more complete. That sounds fruity, doesn't it? I can live with that.
It's the same thing with music, really. Because most songs have a story, and if they don't, then you can usually create one, because hearing is one of the senses that is best at evoking memories. So even if you don't have a story for a song when you first hear it, you may hear it ten years later, and one will pop into your head because of what was happening in your life when you first heard it. There's a story in everything, I'm telling you.
So, what I'm saying, and what this has all been leading up to is that I am going to use this Blog as a film/literature/television/music recommendation site. I want you all to be inspired to read and see the things I do, to have these experiences, and know these characters. I wouldn't write these things out for me--I've experienced them; it would be pointless. I just really hope that one of you will read a recommendation and say, "Hey, that sounds kind of amazing, maybe I'll have a go at it." And if one person reads one book or sees one movie and really falls in love with it, then that would just make my life. And I would be proud of myself, and proud of the person, and all would be well with the world.
So that's what this is. My mediocre attempt at making the world a better place by imposing my views on film and literature upon others. : )
I'll probably start posting tomorrow or the next day, so keep a weather eye.
(P.S. Just so we all know, I did, in fact, steal this reviewing idea from one Mr. Christopher Fox, and his Fox Books Xanga site. Sorry, pal.)
And, in case you were wondering, the title of this blog comes from the closing lines of "Stranger Than Fiction," a fantastic film about which I will probably write at some point.
"As Harold took a bite of Bavarian sugar cookie, he finally felt as if everything was going to be ok. Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange, but I also know that it just so happens to be true."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)