Monday, Monday

Well, that was some weekend. I think when I mentioned some snow on Thursday I had no expectations of such a large amount of snow in such a short period of time. It was nice to see the weather service pretty much hit the nail right on the head as far as their forecasts went. I think people might have been happier if they had been wrong about this one. But I think that a lot of people probably were able to use the forced downtime for some much needed family time and rest. At least I want to hope that is what happened.

Masters of War - Amon Amarth

I like this band. That is today I like the musical and not the vocal styling of this band. I hate the heavy metal muppet voice. So bad. As far as I am concerned to sing like Grover is not musical and it detracts from the straight majestic power of the metal. 

Today the music is on random as usual but it is only going to be from artists that reside in the A category of the alphabet. So we shall see what this experiment brings us. I had a pretty quite weekend since I was stuck indoors the whole time. I am not complaining, mind you, the power stayed on and we have internet and cable television. So things could have been far far worse for me. So overall it was a very nice and quiet and drama free weekend.

Alice - Avril Lavigne

This is from the Tim Burton film 'Almost Alice'. I have never seen it or really heard the song before. It is a pretty typical example of the kind of music that she is putting out right now. Actually the kind of music that is the most mainstream right now. I am just waiting to hear a rap track from hot supposedly urban rapper. 

I watched several interesting films this weekend. Thanks to Amazon Prime and other internet services. I think the film that stood out the most for me was the 1999 film 'Mansfield Park'. It is based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name written in 1814. It was pretty typical of the Austen book world, a young woman and her issues with family and class and relationships. But what I found more interesting was the way that the film touched on issues of slavery and infidelity. The book of course touches much deeper on these but at the same time the film did a good job in it's short amount of time addressing these issues and how they affect Fanny and the rest of the family at the core of the story.

I Need You - America

Classic 70's rock and very nice to listen too. So put your feet up and relax. 

I also watched the Mike Meyers film from 1993 'So I Married an Axe Murderer' and it was just as I remembered. There are moment of laugh out loud humor. Things that are genuinely funny in there lunacy. But as a constructed whole it is not a very good movie at all. Now there is a certain generation of a certain age that are going to be able to quote lines from this film and most nearly everyone from this generation are going to recognize and enjoy those lines. But that is all that they are really going to remember from this film. If they are at all like me and I suspect that they are, their mind has blanked out all of the bad acting and the clunky dialogue and jokes. I loved Mike Meyers in 'Waynes World' but I just do not buy him in this as the romantic center piece. I know that he can act or used to be able to act. But in this film he doesn't do it very well and if you have seen the Austin Powers films then you can see him beginning to perfect his shtick. I give it barely 2 stars out of 4. It isn't a bad film to have on as background noise. But that is all.

Stand Back - The Allman Brother Band

I like this band a lot and this is a great song that showcases both the keyboard and the guitar work. Solid stuff. I always enjoy the jamminess of their sound. Never disappoints me at least their early stuff. 

I also started watch 'The Americans' and let me tell you. I really am enjoying it. Here is a description from Wikipedia

"Set during the Cold War period in the 1980s, The Americans is the story of Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American married couple in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. with their unsuspecting children (Holly Taylor and Keidrich Sellati), and their neighbor, Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), an FBI Counter-Intelligence agent. The series focuses on the personal and professional lives of the Jennings', sometimes incorporating real-life events into the narrative. The show's creator has described the series as being ultimately about a marriage."

I had stayed away from watching it. I am not sure why. I think one reason was because I grew up in that era and I was not ready to relive a bunch of Cold War propaganda. But that being said. I was wrong and the show is more then that. It does help that the show was produced by a former CIA officer and the spy craft stuff is very interesting and fun to watch. I am not sure how it feels to someone who didn't live during that era but I really do enjoy it. I was surprised though at the amount of nudity in a FX series not called "Sons of Anarchy". But if you have some time and Amazon Prime do yourselves a favor and check this out. I think that you will enjoy it. I haven't finished the season but I have enjoyed it so far.

All My Life - America

If I had one complaint about this band. It is that some of their songs can be this kind of syrupy love song. Too much treacle as far as I am concerned and a little hard for me to swallow at times. But they still sound nice. This is a classic wedding video song. Or anniversary song. Maybe I am just cynical about the state of marriage and relationship in the modern era. But that is perhaps a topic best lest for another day. 

That is it folks. I hope to make an appearance at the coffeehouse today. It will be good to get out of the house. That is for sure. Have a good day and stay safe out there. You guys know the drill but I am going to say it again. Hug each other and love each other and remember our humanity and keep on dancing.

Well All Right ...

Anyone of you that have read this blog in the past knows how much I enjoy music and knows how much it is an important part of my existence and its presence in my life has been  very helpful in times both good and bad. One of the things that brings me the most peace or pleasure depending on the mood I am in is when I can create a playlist to listen to in The Van.

I have a CD player in the their and that makes it pretty easy to burn things from my computer to disc. Though it would be sweet if I could get a system in their that lets me play MP3's. The playlists that I could make would be so awesome. But anyway, before I get to off track I wanted to share with you the latest and in some ways the most personal playlist that I have made in a long time. So please give it a listen, hopefully Youtube has all of these. and let me know if you enjoyed it or not.

Blind Faith - Can't Find My Home

Blind Faith - Well All Right

The Allman Brothers - Whipping Post

Too put it bluntly the last 3 nearly 4 years have been pretty shitty. Oh I am sure that there are plenty of people who have had it far worse and I am not claiming that my life is horrible. But there have been moments of time where things looked and felt pretty bleak. But I have some very, very good people around me and them along with the music that I can listen to has really made a difference as far as things go. There are times though when in the midst of whatever emotional dive I am in that things look pretty bad and I wonder what is the point. Sometimes the music helps pull me out of that and sometimes the music helps me to kind of swim through it. It is kind of hard to explain if you haven't been in the midst of that kind of emotional wave.

The Lumineers - Hey Ho

Lynrd Skynrd - Simple Man

Kansas - Carry On

There is not much to say about these songs. They bring me some comfort and some peace as I listen to them. They also bring me sorrow but it isn't a bad kind of sorrow. It is the reality of things gone that can never return but at the same time good memories of things that I wouldn't have traded for the world as well as relationships that have formed who I am today.

Montgomery Gentry - You Do Your Thing, I'll Do Mine

Lynrd Skynrd - Free Bird (Film "Devil's Rejects"

These are songs about being true to yourself. True to myself and experiencing this pain honestly and not numbing myself to it. But letting it flow through me and not letting it overwhelm me or define me but acknowledging its existence and trying to use it to make myself a better person on the far end of it. However long that takes and I have no idea at all how long it is going to take.

Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young - Old Man

Neil Young - Needle and the Damage Done

Neil Young - Running Dry

Sometimes you feel like you are at the end of your tether and these songs help me. I know that isn't the case for everyone but hearing someone put what feels like my feelings into words does amazing things for me. Through tears and sorrow can sometimes come cleansing and healing.

O' Death - Down To Rest

The White Stripes - One More Cup of Coffee

Ralph Stanley - Oh Death

Mumford n Sons - Whispers in the Dark

It is pretty obvious how this ends and it ends the same way for all of us. I can fight it and not be honest about it or I can acknowledge it and understand this is something that happens to all of us and just accept that. I think the older that I get the less fear there is of it. This will happen and I do not know when or how and that is fine with me. This playlist leaves me with a feeling of hope and I know that may not be the case for everyone and some of you may not like it at all. But I hope that you enjoyed at least some of the songs that are hear.

More Music Friday

Okay onward through the list. Today the artist in question is one of the great southern rock bands of the past. Now when I say that it probably brings two groups to mind either The Allman Brothers Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Well in this case it is the Allman brothers and a greatest hits compilation known as "20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Allman Brothers Band". I actually feel kind of bad that I do not have more of their stuff but what I do have I really enjoy.

One of my favorites is "Whipping Post". It is another of those songs that has an unforgettable guitar line.



One of their if not their biggest hits was "Ramblin' Man". I like how this one just flows along. But I also get a kick out of songs that tell stories.



The other one that I have to go with is "Jessica". It is just a great song.



This kind of music has kind of faded in popularity at least as far as radio play goes. I imagine that there are some bands out there still flying the southern rock flag but I just can't imagine that any of them can hold a candle to the Allman Brothers.

I guess I will throw up a classic Skynyrd song but really I do prefer the Allman Brothers

Here you go with a little "Sweet Home Alabama"