My Digital Music Collection
Posts
Hey Folks,
Hollywood Trash is going to be in Reno on Saturday. If any MOGgers are in the area, we'd love it if you'd drop by and write a review of the show!
See you there!
Okay, so I've already broken my vow to post every day for a week. In my defense, I've been super busy with work, wedding, and other stuff that all vie for my time. I'm still trying to get my posting rate up, though, so bear with me.
One of the things I do when I have a minute at work (aside from browsing the MOG) is obsess about the current primary race.
Back before the race began, when I was listening to "Okemah" and really getting in to it for the first time (see previous post), another song jumped out and seemed to speak for me.
You can see from my profile that I am 28 years old. Something that my elders out there may not understand is that people of my generation have never seen a leader out there that we've felt excited about. The boomers had Kennedy and MLK. Who have we Xers, Yers, and millennials had? No, Stewart and Colbert don't count. We've never felt engaged by our government in any meaningful way. We've instead had to languish in the uninspired cynicism of the post-watergate US that the boomers have been crafting for the last few decades.
What's more, two families have been handing the presidency of the United States back and forth since I was eight years old, and we are now embroiled in a battle over whether we'll keep it in the family name a little while longer. I'm sorry, but 28 years under two dynasties from the same ethnic/economic class isn't democracy. It's oligarchy: " a form of government where political power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society."
Some folks seem resigned to accept this as reality. I say reality is what we make it. Expect oligarchy and you shall receive it.
Son Volt's "World Waits for You" speaks of the desire for something more. It speaks of the desire to see a person rise up to lead us into a better era, to inspire us to be more than we thought we could, and to help us to better our society as a result. It recognizes that longing for great leadership is not some sort of messianic delusion. It is our birthright as free people, just as it is our responsibility to do so with open eyes and an informed mind.
So forgive us if we rally behind an inspirational leader. Forgive us if we don't share in your cynicism, and please try to remember what it felt like to believe in the system's potential for good.
"In this darkest hour, a brave face will break soon. The world waits for you."
PS- The attached song actually also includes the following "reprise" track as well. The first is somewhat incomplete without the second.
I'm not sure if Pandora is a sensitive subject here on MOG (given that it could be seen as competition), but I'm going to open the box, so to speak.
About a year and a half ago, I began using Pandora and promptly fell in love with it. It took time to train it to give me what I wanted (enjoying the Rolling Stones does NOT mean I want to hear Ratt), but my "Chaos Cowboy Rock" station almost immediately began showing me new artists that I quickly grew to love. Among those new artists was Son Volt.
I and many others had only a passing familiarity with Son Volt as being the "other" half of Uncle Tupelo (the more hip/critically lauded half being Wilco) as led by Jay Farrar. I had always been curious of this band but Pandora, by recommending their music to me, transformed this curiosity into a confirmed excitement.
This is how I was led to purchase Son Volt's 2005 release, "Okemah and the Melody of Riot," and henceforth became a Son Volt fan.
To describe Okemah is to describe why I enjoy Son Volt. There is a strong American roots influence. The arrangements are brimming with overdriven guitars that growl with an elusive organic quality that I've always sought in my own guitar tone. The songs are thematically mature and philosophical, stepping outside of themselves into the lives of others or into the ether of a greater meaning. Some songs have choruses, some refrains, most are written in structurally non-traditional ways regardless, and yet flow very naturally from beginning to end.
More to the point, however, I feel from the music as if I have a kindred spirit out there. I feel like Jay's words are my own. This is the elusive magic of rock and roll, or I suppose I should say, of all great music.
My track selection for this MOG post is one of the songs that forged this connection for me. If you've ever had the good fortune to play in a rock band, you'll know what I mean. Even if you haven't, however, I urge you to crank it up. You'll understand.
"Rock and roll around my head, alive and kicking, Rock and roll around my head, fifty watts happening, Rock and roll around my head Like a six string belief."
Comments
@ dachmo: Oh, I most certainly do. I now have all of their records, and I even saw them live last year. When I get in to a band, I don't F around.
Thanks for your comments guys!
MOGs That Trust Me (8 of 28)
My Trusted MOGs (8 of 41)
MOG Meter
Comments
well, Ongoingly just informed me I'm part of generation Jones, but I'm with ya
its fine to break posting vows. just be more careful of those wedding vows. :)
millennials -- is that an official term, cuz I'm gonna start using it....your post was some great insight...i'm on the same page as you when you say you've only seen 2 dynasties. (and i usually cant stand son volt, but like this song.)