Dec 16 2009

Victor! Fix The Sun – Person Place Or Thing

Category: Music In My Ears, Uncategorized — dryvetyme @ 07:00

Victor! Fix The Sun
Person Place Or Thing
Friction; 2009

Person Place Or Thing

Having spent a fair amount of time in my life sitting in churches and listening to a wide variety of preachers speaking (primarily to the already converted), I have a special little place in my heart for the clichéd idiom that is the street preacher. These folks are never without a soapbox, whether literal or figurative, as they seek to convince the greater world around them that we’re all headed in a very scary direction. They have the inherent (and annoying) ability to reduce complex theological ideas to mere sloganeering in hopes of catching the attention of at least one passerby. But what I do find appealing is the strange mixture of intestinal fortitude and utter lack of shame that allows such people to stand up tall to preach their beliefs at others with an unrelenting spirit in the face of opposition and indifference.
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Apr 18 2008

Road Trip To Memphis

Category: Uncategorized — dryvetyme @ 08:27

Well, I’ve saved these pictures and this post for the entire week, mostly because I wanted to crop all of the pictures appropriately and process through the events of the trip. Suffice to say that my road trip to Memphis, TN over April 11th-13th, 2008 was one of the better 3-day weekends I’ve had in awhile. Four friends, one car, a few highways to travel, a few sights to see, and innumerable great conversations to have. We spent most of Friday traveling to Memphis, Saturday was marked by two amazing tours, and Sunday was a day for decompression as we drove home. We listened to some great blues on Beale Street, reveled in the rock ‘n roll ambiance of Sun Studio, rode a trolley car around greater Memphis, ate lunch at the historic Arcade Restaurant, and reverentially reflected in the National Civil Rights Museum. At the end of the day Saturday, we made our way to Hope Presbyterian Church to hear Andrew Peterson sing and Donald Miller speak. All in all, a trip for the books. Thanks to my wonderful traveling companions for being willing to tolerate a little bit of testosterone in their weekend. Enjoy the pictures!

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Apr 11 2008

Doctors & Dealers – Confessions of a Drunken Mind

Category: Uncategorized — dryvetyme @ 00:40

Doctors And Dealers
Confessions of a Drunken Mind
Bluesong; 2008

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What makes DIY music so compelling is that it’s hard not to be impressed with the artist’s dedication to their own interests and their own musical direction. As integral as producers can be to the recording process, they can prove to be equally as detrimental to ensuring that the artist’s vision for his/her own music is preserved and communicated to the masses. So, when one has the opportunity to be exposed to the brand of indie piano-folk being crafted by Swedish singer-songwriter Sparrow, recording under the moniker of Doctors & Dealers, it can be a rather blissful experience. And on her international debut, Confessions of a Drunken Mind, she presents a focused, yet playful collection of songs detailing her and her friends’ struggles with substances both liquid and solid. Calling to mind the stylings of an early Regina Spektor and the abstract aural aesthetic of an early Björk, the record is filled with sweet, seemingly innocent vocals, delicately flowing piano lines, fingersnaps, and other assorted sounds, all self-recorded in a home studio. With standout tracks that include “Brown Horses,” “Snow Child,” “My Mother Was A Dancer,” “Steve McQueen,” and “Deal With The Devil,” this is an enchanting debut album that fans of smart, minimalist piano pop should not miss.

Apr 10 2008

History – Ghosts In The City

Category: Uncategorized — dryvetyme @ 10:43

History
Ghosts In The City
24 Hour Service Station; 2008

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Keyboards and synths have been in and around popular forms of rock music for generations now, mostly because the piano is the foundational instrument of all Western music. However, there was a time and there have been assorted musical trends that eschewed and mocked the use of the piano, mostly because it took actual musical training to play the instrument. Pianos weren’t cool or edgy and they certainly weren’t easy to pack into a van along with guitars, basses, amps, and drums for a tour across the country. Yet, the piano has made a distinct comeback in recent years, from indie rock bands seeking to broaden their sound to metal and hard/postcore bands hoping to borrow some atmospherics from progressive rock.

So, when Orlando five-piece History embraces the piano on their debut record Ghosts In The City, they do so with gusto. Not only did they bring in a keyboard to round out their musical fervor, but they chose to dedicate an entire roster spot to a guy who plays a Moog. That’s right – a Moog is being used, not by some over-hyped, trendy dance-rock band, but by somewhat technical post-punk band. While the group’s overall aesthetic isn’t all that original, they are rather spirited in their presentation: ardent male lead vocals, glittering female high harmonies, chunky chord progressions, spot-on rhythm section, and (don’t forget) two keyboards. With great tracks like “Horn of the Unicorn,” “She Spit In My Cup,” and “Far From Being An Obstacle” leading the way, History has made a solid sonic contribution to the echelons of hard-edge bands implementing a keyboard with some semblance of efficacy.

Apr 06 2008

Two Poems

Category: Uncategorized — dryvetyme @ 12:03

My friend Jeff had the privilege of being the guest editor/host of the April 2008 issue of The Porpoise Diving Life. Jeff then extended to me the privilege of being a contributor for the issue and I gladly obliged him by submitting two poems for inclusion. Thus, I just wanted to thank Jeff for asking me to participate and to thank Bill Dahl for creating such a fantastic site. Grace and peace to the both of you.

BTW — If you do take the time to go read my poems, also take the time to read the pieces from the other contributors.

Sunday Mornings

Stuck and Pinched

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