Modest Mouse kicks off a short spring tour starting in Oakland on 090222 and ending at Langerado in Miami.

Sun Feb. 22 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Mon Feb. 23 - Visalia, CA - The Fox Theatre
Tue Feb. 24 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium
Wed Feb. 25 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
Thu Feb. 26 - Albuquerque, NM - Abuquerque Convention Center
Sat Feb. 28 - Boulder, CO - Balch Fieldhouse
Mon Mar. 2 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
Tue Mar. 3 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
Wed Mar. 4 - Austin, TX - Stubb's
Fri Mar. 6 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric Oxford
Sat Mar. 7 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
Sun Mar. 8 - Miami, FL - Langerado Music Festival

Working on a Dream
Bruce Springsteen
Release date January 27, 2009

Full disclosure. I was a huge Springsteen fan. Saw many concerts, enjoyed them all, looked forward to all CD releases until after The Rising. Just sort of drifted away. So this may be more typical of his later stuff. Not sure. Cheers!

I was reading another blog called setting the woods on fire

His idea is to use Venn diagrams, or overlapping circles to explain why a song appealed to him. I liked the concept, trying to make what I like more understandable, but use different metrics.

His are Quallity with Familiarity on one side and Nostalgia on the other. So, it had to be well-done but either have a hint of new or of old. 

Really interesting analysis. For me it was always just the "sound". did it hit me, move me, make me open my eyes a bit?
But I really like the Venn diagrams. I would probably label them as the "sound", the "passion" and the "riffs or quality" in the middle. My records were The Beatles White Album, The Band, Allman Brothers' Live at the Fillmore, later Bruce's The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle and then later still an obscure song done at a Dylan concert called Born in Time. A friend had given me a tape and now I'm a certified Bob head.

I think all of this music took me to a different place but it did build on the music that came before. Sounds like his Venn diagrams. But there had to more. It had to move me in a way that was new. It wasn't quite as logical as this makes it sound. More just like, Ah Hah!!! I like that. It sounds good. I want to hear it again. What else is like this? Who are these guys?

This takes me back, trying to remember where the different musical peaks have been. Fun to do. Maybe you'd like to as well. If so, leave a comment. Maybe like me your comment will turn into a post. If so, send it to me. There is more here to consider.

M. Ward's new album - Hold Time has a relaxed but very tight feel. It seems loose but there are no extraneous notes, no superfluous instruments. Everything is put together well. But the one thing missing is passion. The record is cerebral, well-crafted and in many respects beautiful. Track by track follows:
 
In For Beginners he sings about Mt. Zion & Caledonia. Mt. Zion is the mountain outside Jerusalem and Caledonia is Scotland. Nice riff - mainly guitar & vocal

Nobody Like You is kind of a rambling tune with a bit of synthesizer, simple yet heart-felt. Basic but there is a deeper level. The best song on the disc.

In Jail Bird he's crying for help but no one hears except the Angel coming down. Bit of reverb on voice to fatten it up, light drums, short, breezy, seemingly shallow, pop tinged.

With the title track, Hold Time, there are lush strings, and a slow, figure played in a swampy sounding synthesizer. It is much different from other songs, like it was done at a different time. It has heavy voice echo and like the other songs is very short.

Buddy Holly's Rave On, very near the 50th anniversary of the legend's death is a smokey, languid affair. It might work better with people who don't know the original.

To Save Me - sailing over the edge with an up tempo, Beach Boys influenced tune. The title line repeats - to save me from sailing over the edge.

The blues tinged One Hundred Million Miles is mostly vocal and guitar. It shows a limited vocal range and inflection. It is so restrained.

The electric piano is dominant on the intro to Stars of Leo. It does kick in with the band including bass and drums. It has the most interesting instrumentation and really seems to rock a bit. Then it slows down and fades out.

The Fisher of Men has a country bass line and honky-tonk feel. The voice seems tired, world-weary. Understated and restrained. Makes me wonder what it would sound like live.

Oh Lonesome Me features Lucinda Williams, who everyone I know likes but whose voice is not my favorite doing the classic Don Gibson song. Really slow and thoughtful. 

Epistemology - raised in a Catholic school, more of a full on rocker than the other songs, could imagine it getting a workout live.

Blake's View - death is just a door. Ruminations about life, death and everything.

Shangri-La  has some nice guitar.

Outro - instrumental, town with no pity kind of feel, sad sort of desolate image,

I really wanted to like this record. She and He, his collaboration with Zooey Deschanel is a very well-crafted and enjoyable record. This in well done but ultimately less than satisfying. Having said that M. Ward is a very talented and gifted writer and performer. I suspect good things are in his future.

This is a tough record. Tough to get your mind around, tough to sit through and difficult to digest. But it rewards a listener who stays with it and does not go back to the TV or some easier to understand music.

It is epic in scope and ambition. These guys are not aiming for the lowest common denominator. They are reaching for the stars and hit the moon.

The record has layer upon layer of sound. The lyric repeats and winds like a vine around an old fence post. It sounds better with subsequent listens. Don't give up, listen on NPR. It will go off NPR and then will be a record to consider.

While I Went Out Walking - 09/01/22


Long White Cadillac - Dave Alvin - the story of Hank Williams last ride - sad story, great song
Burnin' and Lootin' - Bob Marley & the Wailers - the boys tearing up Trenchtown
Cross the Borderline - Jerry Jeff Walker - paints a beautiful picture of Montana and the love of a good woman
Promised Land - Chuck Berry - The Po' boy trying to get to California and his troubles along the way, what a riff
To Love Somebody - The Flying Burrito Brothers - Gram sings his heart out, like usual
Julius & Ethel - Dylan - Rough Mix - haven't heard this one in a while, Bob tells the story of the Rosenbergs. I the style of Hurricane and Hattie Carrol
Love Hurts - Gram Parsons - Gram and Emmylou - you can feel the pain in his voice
Sam - Keith West - Uncut - Roots of Tommy -
Darling Pretty - Mark Knopfler - one of the greats - nice song with some sweet guitar work
Sweetheart Like You - Dylan - Rough Mix - Bob suggesting the "sweetheart" would be better off at home taking care of someone who won't do her wrong.
Congratulations - Traveling Wilburys - sort of forgetable
Say You Miss Me - Wilco - thought it was the Kinks - really good song - need more Wilco on the iPod.

Andrew Bird's latest release Noble Beast is easy on the ears but makes the brain work. It offers simple instrumentation, including loads of whistling and violin. The songs have space and it is simple to pick out the different parts.

The lyrics are more dense and will take several listens to discern. However, the music is so inviting, fresh and enjoyable this will not be a chore but a delight.