In his inaugural blog post on Bandcamp, Andrew Dubber wrote about the trade-offs that come from being a musical omnivore. On the one hand, you can never listen to enough music to get the depth of knowledge in any one genre that say, a true metalhead may have of Finnish melodic death metal. On the other hand, you get a breadth of music that a specialist lacks. An omnivore can still listen to some Finnish melodeath, but won’t miss out on Sigur Ros. Another joy that comes from omnivory is that sometimes it allows you to see hidden threads in the zeitgeist. Read More
ByGD
KEXP Powers Me
I confess to a contrarian streak. If someone (especially an authority figure) tells me to do something, I will do the opposite. If everyone says to do something, you can be sure I won’t. This is particularly true in subjective matters. For example, I cannot bring myself to read the Da Vinci Code or watch Jurassic Park. When bands that I like finally hit it big, I unconsciously stop listening to them. Years of yoga practice and introspection have revealed this tendency to me, and I have worked hard to resist it. I try to evaluate books and music based on their objective merits and my own taste.
If my emotional maturity were insufficient to quell the knee-jerk reaction against the sway of public opinion, one would hope that hard experience would teach me to overcome this contrary tendency. After scoffing at the hubbub surrounding a children’s fantasy novel, I read Harry Potter link and was instantly converted to a Rowling fan. After rolling my eyes at the slavish praise heaped on Snow Patrol link, I received a pair of free tickets and found myself in tears at their show in support of Eyes Open. But did I learn? No.
I have ignored the buzz surrounding local artists Fleet Foxes for years. Finally, I checked out the latest album from these KEXP link darlings, and needless to say, I was floored. Then I watched the video for “The Shrine/ An Argument.” Not since Radiohead’s Kid A have I had this feeling of stumbling on something wondrous and new.
The Shrine / An Argument from Sean Pecknold on Vimeo.
At last, I have learned my lesson. Although my determined anti-cool stance has saved me from many a one-hit wonder and manufactured ingénue in the past, the cost is too high. By ignoring the recommendations of KEXP’s noble DJs, I have missed out on years of Fleet Foxes. Who knows what other music I have overlooked simply because it came with critical acclaim? From now on, I will follow the middle path between pop culture cynic and mindless consumer.
From now on, I will listen to my betters. Since my undergraduate days listening to KCMU, our local noncommercial radio station where the music matters has never let me down. Ok, so they have rarely scheduled the shows I like most during the hours I can listen to radio, but in these days of podcasts and streaming archives, that is a petty complaint. The DJs at KEXP know of which they speak, and I will trust them. Cheryl Waters, John Richards, Kevin Cole and all the rest of y’all – thank you. Thank you for Fleet Foxes. Thank you for all the bands I have ‘discovered’ since 1992 while listening to your programs. I will listen more consistently, more carefully and more respectfully in the future.
Music provides a soundtrack to my memories. The right music at the right time can open me up to new ideas, emotions and experiences. At times, it provides an emotional anchor, or act as a spark plug to ignite strength and energy when I can’t seem to generate it myself. And that music, as often as not, comes from KEXP. In a sense, KEXP powers me.
And with the first paycheck of 2012, I promise that I, too, will power KEXP.
ByGD
50 Words for Snow & 50 Works of Snow
I’m not a Kate Bush fan, but the buzz around her latest album, 50 Words for Snow, got me curious. So I had to give it a listen. I’m still not a Kate Bush fan, but the title track, delivered by the inimitable Jeeves, I mean Stephen Fry, was as delightful as everything else Fry is involved in. Together with the fact that all of the mountains are now open for ski season, 50 Words for Snow made me think about other wintry works of art.
ByGD
Seattle Folk Festival
If you thought that old-timey music was just for Appalachia, this weekend offers an opportunity to learn better. “Seattle is a hub of old-timey music in the west,” says Morgan John, who sings and plays banjo (and sometimes fiddle, guitar and ukulele) in the Atlas Stringband. “There are square dances twice a month in Ballard, a lot people playing honky-tonk and bluegrass. The Seattle Subversive Square Dance Society hosts house parties and dances in parks. There is something going on every week.”
Participation Counts
As John describes it, this is not a scene, but a community rooted in old American traditions. Old-time music is participatory. Musicians play shows, but they are just as likely to join an open jam. Many of them, like Jere Canote of The Canote Brothers, build their own instruments by hand. Audience members are more likely to dance with each other than to sit down to listen. Jams and dances are often all-ages, and are open to all skill levels. If you don’t know what to do, just ask the person next you. They’re sure to be right neighborly.
Seattle Folk Festival
The community is coming together this weekend for the Seattle Folk Festival at venues in Columbia City and downtown Seattle. Featuring performances by nearly twenty northwest artists, including The Tallboys, Kevin Murphy of the Moondoggies, Sean Flinn & The Royal We, and Jackstraw, the festival also offers workshops, dances, and open jams. The festival opens Friday night with a square dance to benefit Bike Works, followed by a dance party benefiting Northwest Folklife and featuring the region’s Balkan bands. Saturday’s lineup features indie roots music all day. The Appalachian Winter Evening concert will feature artists from and inspired by Southern Appalachia. Sunday is the Family Jam, with a full day of performances supplemented by an all-ages family square dance and a kids’ craft workshop on how to make a “Seattle Crankie.”
If you miss the festival this weekend, or if you just can’t get enough of that old-time music, you can join a square dance at the Tractor Tavern on Monday, or attend the Conor Byrne Old Time Social – Open Jam on Tuesday night. The website www.oldtimeseattle.com maintains a calendar of old-time music events and offers introductory information for newcomers to the community.
Just the facts:
What: Seattle Folk Festival
When: Friday, December 09, 2011-Sunday December 11, 2011
Where: Columbia City Theater & Seattle Town Hall
Cost: Tickets available online and at the door. $40 weekend pass. Single event prices vary.
For More Info: www.seattlefolkfestival.com