Carrie and Lowell: Sufjan Stevens' melancholy masterpiece

"This is not my art project; This is my life"

- Stevens (Pitchfork interview)

            "I don't know where to begin... I've lost my strength completely" Sufjan Stevens sings, the impact of his whispered style given a new and arresting sheen in part thanks to Bon Iver's treatment at his rural Wisconsin recording studio. A slew of other recording locations and engineers is indication Stevens' quest to perfect Carrie and Lowell, what he himself admits is his most personal album in his fifteen year career, (and the first album since 2010's extravagant The Age of Adz).  

            Here the feel is less epic and more personally immersive. His vocal delivery which used to seem reserved and shaky or at times whiny and has grown ever stronger and more assertive in recent releases is now quiet again, but still sounds confident. I challenge anyone to find fault in his vocals, thought the layering helps smooth it out a bit, its clear he is still in control and has grown tremendously as a singer in his own right. Carrie and Lowell is a quiet soundscape with some echoes of Seven Swans (2004). This ambient landscape rolls along in quiet contemplation, swelling with the cleansing yet relentless rhythm of spring rain showers. The more I listen the more I am moved and the more I see that he is not playing for sympathy but to express himself in the best way he can. I have further realized that the effects of such a poignant album go beyond the artist and now play a significant role in comforting listeners and assauging, or giving voice or identification with the loss of loved ones. The album stands out as much for the sum of its parts as for each finely honed line. It is a wonder to discover again Stevens' mastery.

            We have been accustomed to Stevens tradition of storytelling backed by resounding, epic, atonal arrangements - a la Phillip Glass modernism; momentous "art," or themed albums, (Illinoise, Michigan, The Age of Adz) in which were nestled quieter tracks that drove straight to the heart, such as "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.". Here sufjan has given us a seamless album of such quiet gems. There is his trademark banjo plucking, careful keys, yet a distinct lack of the percussion and soaring orchestrations and nearly spastic electronic noise we have come to expect from his big-sound, rock-opera-esque forays. All has been washed in a reverb-dust that thankfully somehow never grows old. 

"It is a wonder to discover anew Stevens' mastery of songwriting."

            Though all of his albums include elements of auto-biography, personal details mixed with local history and zoomed-out reflection, this is his most purely Sufjan-centric narrative to date. Its packed with the heart-piercing sorrow (bring kleenex), and a grace drawn from the well of life. Ultimately it is a testament to the eternal mystery of death when it comes knocking on our loved-one's door. In 2012 Steven's mother - Carrie, of the album's title - died suddenly from stomach cancer. This tragedy is the source for much of the stages-of-grief apparent throughout. In "Drawn to the Blood" Stevens grasps "How did this happen, how, how did this happen?"

            True to form, a plenitude of historical, mythological and biblical references are included, from Oregon's "Tillamook Burn" - a spate early 20th-century wildfires, the NW coast Sea Lion Caves ( he spent summers in Oregon with his mother), to childhood swimming lessons, and "slain Medusa". A few song titles seem to be twists on traditional Christian hymns, making clear the tumultuous nature of Stevens' faith (No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross, John my Beloved, Drawn to the Blood), or twists on modern pop songs (All of Me Wants All of You). There is a current of muddy confusion, desperation even, running throughout, as in Blue Bucket of Gold, "Once the myth has been told, the lens deforms it as lighting/ raise your right hand/ tell me you want me in your life/ Or raise your red flag, just when I want you in my life." Or shockingly abrupt, "You checked your texts while I masturbated ... now I feel so used" (All of Me). While such lines are deeply personal they are also universal.

            Harmonies are reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel abound, particularly in "Eugene," and a few merciful doses of humor too: his childhood swimming teacher "could not quite pronounce my first name/ he called me Subaru." And transitions to the more melancholic in the next stanza, "Whats the point of singing songs if they'll never even hear you?" We hear you Sufjan,  and we grieve along with you, for as he chants in "The Fourth of July," the albums centerpiece, "We're all gonna die, we're all gonna die, we're all gonna die."

            Death may even seem a bit easier to contemplate thanks to Stevens' sonic elegy, his most unified and intimate album to date, perhaps even a masterpiece, though only time will tell.

            HERE.Buy it here!

Is Tolkien turning in his grave?

I finally found time to watch The Hobbit movies this past week and found them unbelievable in a mix of astonishing fx and pitiously laughable action sequences. I'm glad to find I wasn't alone in my confusion. In a December 19th article on Wired, Ethan Gilsdorf writes:

     "The attention to detail ... is unparalleled. Middle-earth feels real. But in these Hobbit movies, the  more important thing to get right is situational realism: How the plot turns, what the characters do, if they move through space in a believable way. All this is thrown out the door. The sincerity of Thorin and Bilbo’s struggles is completely undermined by the story’s blanket disregard for physics, logic, and credibility. Gone into the ether is Tolkien’s gentle, thoughtful, and more plausible children’s tale." (LINK TO WIRED ARTICLE)
While I am not as irate than Gilsdorf - perhaps I am still under Jackson's unrivaled world-building spell - he certainly brings up some worrisome points. Has Jackson gone off the deep end? Has he damaged Tolkien's beloved childrens classic? Has he pillaged it and created his own disney-world phantasia version? If so, why? What was his purpose? Simple lack of constraint cannot explain it, as Gilsdorf asserts. It must be about the money. Beside lining his pockets, turning a one movie book into three nearly three-hour films allowed Jackson and Company the elbow room  to get overly creative - to get carried away with their artistic license.

Post Live-Aboard Fog Horn Blues

In the fall of 2004 - thats ten years and three months ago - at the adventurous age of twenty-three, I threw caution to the wind and with all of $700 in my pocket moved from my homecity of Spokane 300 miles due west to Seattle and the big Emerald city that had beckoned me like a siren, and which I would call home for the better part of the next seven years. My first winter in Seattle ( a winter of record cold, no less) was spent living aboard a derelict old wooden boat that I bought for $150 (in two monthly installments!). I kept my belongings in Rubbermaid bins in case of a sinking - a realistic concern if you'd seen my boat - the photo below gives you an idea, the back wall was Plexiglass (this is the only photograph I have from those days). I had visualized, or at least had hoped, to have enough time to grab the two huge bins and fling them onto the dock if she started going under. 

In my "house-boat," a 1965 Chris-Craft Sea-Skiff. Sept. 2004.

The thrill of cheap living and romance of misty mornings and the chime of the drawbridge quickly faded. In my dreams I was often drifting away down the ship canal or coming home to find just the antenna sticking out of the dark oily water. After 7 months of nightmares (and day-mares!) I sold the boat (for a $300 profit!) and fled to the relative stability of dry land. A year later I returned to see if it was afloat and discovered that it had just sunk two days earlier. The lady who bought it had her belongings - mostly clothes and books, as I recall - spread out all over the dock drying in the weak April sunshine. I felt bad, but was glad I had gotten away while I still could.

'Clicking and Clacking' into eternity

In case you missed it, Tom Magliozzi, the older brother from Car Talk passed away recently, on November 3rd, 2014, due to complications from Alzheimers disease. Tom and his brother Ray hosted Car Talk for 35 years.

Tom in his infamous ratty MG convertible with his beloved dog

         
I grew up listening to this show. It was the one program my Dad allowed me to listen to on NPR ( the rest were produced by Satan, apparently). Every Saturday mornings at the Thomas house the hilarious antics and notorious guffaws of "Click and Clack the tappet brothers" could be heard from somewhere in our house, usually accompanying me via my little portable radio while I raced to finish all my various chore duties. In all honesty, I have never stopped laughing along with these wonderful reniassance men. (Both brother hold degrees from MIT, a fact not generally known).

"Saturdays will always be synonymous with chores, pancakes, and Car Talk."

Tom's resplendent laughter always brought a smile to my face and lasting joy to my heart. Click and Clack have also challenged me to stay interested in mechanics and passionate about not just cars and moped but not to take it all too seriously, sometimes the best (or only) solution to a problem really is to laugh it off. 

They also challenged my non-mechanically inclined nature with their brain-melting "Weekly Puzzler's," notorious listener submitted story problems involving mathematics, logic and outside-the-box solutions. Although I never did get around to submitting my answers taped to the back of expensive luxury goods and sent it off to Harvard Square. I wonder if anyone ever actually sent them the cool/luxury goods they requested Puzzler answers be attached to? 

Do you guys still listen to Car Talk reruns? They are as enjoyable as the old ones, and I always seem to learn something as well as laugh my ass off. My sincere condolences to the family for their immense loss. You may never know the full impact of Tom's legacy, but it goes to show how love, laughter, and passion of one great man can have a ripple effect that lasts forever. And I know I am not alone in my belief that the ripples of Tom's laughter and legacy will live forever. RIP Tom Magliozzi.
For a link to the NPR story and an excerpt of a classic episode click this LINK

Kurt Cobain's bizarre, rarely heard 1988 cut-and-tape cassette remix featuring dozens of samples including his own demos.

(Via Boing Boing, Courtesy of Dangerous Minds Blog)

Spokane is Reading Swamplandia!

HEY! Spokane is Reading the fantastic novel "Swamplandia!" by Karen Russell. The young novelist's debut masterpiece was caught in a 3 way tie for the Pulitzer Prize a couple years ago, and it is a real gem. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you enjoy gritty tales of the south, and southern gothic genre inspired by the writing of Flannery O'Connor and Joy Williams. Russell will be here in Spokane in 5 weeks to give a free reading at The Bing on October 16th at 7pm.
LINK

It's All About The Fish Lake Trail, WA.

This is a short video from a couple days ago, on April 25, 2014. I ride home from EWU on this wonderful trail about once a week, year round. There is hardly ever anyone else on it. Fish Lake Trail goes from Cheney, WA to downtown Spokane, WA. It's about 16 miles, slightly downhill the whole way (obviously, that makes it slightly uphill if you start at the Spokane trailhead just off Sunset Highway. A good way to do this is take the #66 STA bus from Jefferson Park and Ride (all STA busses have free bike racks w/ room for two bikes), get off at EWU, or at the big Safeway shopping complex, then ride to the downtown Cheney then ride down Cheney-Spangle Road - the intersection where The Mason Jar cafe is located ( I think I say Cheney-Spokane Highway in the video, but that's incorrect, sorry). There is a nice wide shoulder on the left hand side. The trail head is around the first big bend, on the left, across from an auto shop. Have fun. Bring a couple water bottles! (Click on images for full size pics)

Looking South to Columbia Plateau Trailhead from the Cheney-Spangle Rd underpass. (This is the Fishlake Trailhead and parking lot a quarter mile from downtown Cheney). This goes to Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (about 3 miles from here). CPT then proceeds 130 miles to Ice Harbor Dam near Pasco,Wa and Tri-Cities. To safely (and quickly) ride the large rail ballast, you'll want extra knobby tires (preferably you would rent or borrow a "Snow Bike," and slightly deflate the tires) especially past Martin Road near Sprague.
 (See "Crazy Guy on Bike" link below for a great blog about the CPT).

Frozen springs in winter. I have ridden from Cheney many times in the winter without seeing a single person!

Fish Lake and Trail

The missing link. Here you must veer onto Cheney-Spokane Highway for a bit until you reach Scribner Trailhead turn-off. Some people ride this anyway even though it is private property. I have never done it. From what I've heard, you're gonna want a mountain bike to safely attempt it. Word has it this section may be completed in the next year or two, hopefully!

Flooding in March, 2014.

Ice on Fish Lake, early Spring 2014.

Fish Lake/ CPT Trailhead as seen approaching from downtown Cheney.

Scribner Trailhead.

Scribner Trailhead. FLT will be underconstruction here starting June 6, 2014.

Scribner Trailhead rail crossing. This is a very active train track! It is also quite uneven, so be very careful while crossing.

Fish Lake Trail Links:

traillink.com
Inland Northwest Trails
Spokane Outdoors
Proposed $45 million Spokane County Park Levy (2015) : This proposed Parks and Rec levy would  fund the completion of Fish Lake Trail/CPT "missing link."
Crazy Guy On a Bike : Venturing south on The Columbia Plateau Trail clear to Pasco and the Tri-Cities? Check out this guy's blog. As far as I'm aware he is one of the few brave souls who have actually ridden the whole 130 mile trail through the remote Central Washington scablands.

Happy la diada de sant jordi!

Much love and roses and books by shakespeare and cervantes to all!

This fascinating holiday comemorates Saint George, legendary slayer of dragons. It also honors the anniversary of the death of Shakespeare and of Cervantes, the father of the novel, as well as the famous Peruvian author "Inca" Garcilaso. It is customary to give women roses, and to give men copies of books by one of these authors.

As a side note, a dictionary supposedly belonging to and annotated by Shakespeare himself has been discovered. Check out this review of a new book about what the annotations reveal of the Bard: Shakespeare's Own Dictionary

Bullshit Mountain alert!

Did you know that Dove's so-called hypo-allergenic soap for sensitive skin can actually cause hand dermatitis, which is severely dry,itchy and/or cracking skin? I found out about this irony the hard way! Apparently the moisturizing cream contains perfumes that will dryer hands out and/or cause skin irritation. Use of word "hypoallergenic," is totally unregulated by the FDA, (similar to "natural" products) so manufactures get to use it for pretty much whatever they want. My PCP said to just use good old cheap Dove or Dial "White" bar soap. Dermatitis can also be caused by excessive handwashing which reaches that natural oils out of your skin, or by exposure to chemicals such as gasoline or anything else and an automotive shop, as well as strong dish soap, and certainly by a combination of all of these factors, as well as dry weather.

Knights of Badassdom movie review, or Next time you get an all star cast, don't blow it!

"Knights of Badassdom" hit a home run, then forgot what it was doing.

     I was really digging this Spokane, WA filmed movie which I caught at its last local showing tonight at The Magic Lantern. That is until they killed off some of the best characters midway through the film. I could not believe my eyes. These characters had established so much gravitas, and so much potential to carry the film through the troubled, blood stained waters it was about to cannonball into, especially as Dinklage had eaten a bag of shrooms and  hilariously trip out, complete with flowers in his hair. 

     Disclaimer: I get that Knights was meant to be campy and B Film whatever. But it had some really intelligent storytelling going full steam ahead till it decided to apparently just say FUCK IT, who cares about story" way out. I mean, they had some belly- laugh funny scenes! - rocking out in the auto shop, getting high and drunk in the Castle mansion (which my Grandma actually lived in for a couple years!), and the scenes hamming it up LARP style in the festival parking lot AKA The Fields of Evermore. 

     I was led to expect a similarly affecting climax and resolution, or at least a smart denouement, but everything devolved into mindless, disturbing blood and guts gore after the murder scene in the outhouse. It was hard to see a locally made film with so much potential, so many great actors, just fall apart in front of your eyes. I am starting to see now why it took them 4 years to release it.  

     I left the film trying to keep laughing the way I did during the first half, trying to give it an A for effort, but it was honestly more an "oh well, better luck next time" laugh. Next time you get an all star cast, don't blow it. Btw, the castle mansion that the main character lives in, pictured below, is really cool. i used to love visiting my grandma there when i was a kid. she lived in a little apartment on the top floor. check it out if u r in spokane. its at: 1323 w 8th ave. on the lower South Hill, near the excellent Huckleberries organic market cafe.