Ummm.

At the risk of sounding less than masculine:

Three songs that made me cry this morning before work:

1. Rise Above This - Seether

2. For The Good Times - Kris Kristofferson

3. The Story - Brandi Carlisle

And one that gave me hope that good lyrics are still being written:

Hurt My Baby - John Hiatt.

Just thought I'd share.

Concerts!

My bro, nephew, and I drove to Laramie to see Third Eye Blind on Friday night.

They were friggin' great!

The band did lots of creative arranging of the big hits like Jumper, Losing a Whole Year, SemiCharmed Life, and premiered some brand new stuff coming out this Tuesday.

If only every opening band on the planet didn't suck.

Seriously, every concert I've been to this year has had an abysmal warm-up.

We'll start with the Killers. (Okay, they were last year, but still...)
Opening acts...well...they were so horrid I forgot who they were. Just imagine jangly folk rock with dirty lyrics. And then there was Louis XIV. Like Jet, without the catchy hooks and songs about doing it.

Drive By Truckers' openers The Felice Brothers were a hodgepodge of drunken cajun-country punk songs about being drunk. Add to the mix a drummer who was a ringer for K-Fed.

Collective Soul had a generic Lillith Fair flunky named Hanna Pestle open for them in Boulder. Let's call her a boring solo act with vague similarities to Jewel and Lisa Loeb who murdered a Radiohead song for her finale.

Next up, Black Francis warming up the crowd at Red Rocks for Stone Temple Pilots. I'll describe them as a more "arty" version of the Ramones. Oh, wait, they actually had some talent, whereas BF just sounded like a speed freak muttering nonsense against a background of meandering punk noise.

Thank you Bruce Hornsby for not having an opening act!

And finally, Mark Rose, getting us ready for 3EB. Mark, Mark, Mark. There is already a John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and Jack Johnson. Watering down their styles and forgetting how to write a chorus wouldn't make them any better so why would it work for you?

Anyways, the headliners all rocked and made my ticket fees worth it. Lord help me if I announce an opening gig for a major band. There'd better be a snob in the crowd when that day comes.

I Just Halved Myself

I am - Joe, hear me roar.
I want - to be a rockstar when I grow up.
I have - a gorgeous wife and enough money to live.
I wish - I had the will to practice rudimentary piano technique regularly.
I hate - pedal steel guitar used as filler in country songs.
I fear - Trace Adkin's popularity.
I hear - Big Head Todd and the Monsters with a horn section.
I search - the internet for even samples of the "New" Waylon Jennings CD.
I wonder - if the Tampa Bay Rays are going to find a way to win the series.
I always - get angry while watching the Cowboys play.
I usually - forget to pick up my drink cups after I'm finished.
I am not - that skinny.
I dance - like a 30 year old white guy.
I sing - in the car, loudly, daydreaming the whole time.
I never - can figure some people out.
I rarely - play video games.
I cry - at stupid stuff, like Shania Twain songs I've played in bands.
I am not always - willing to work hard.
I lose - my cool when family picks at me.
I'm confused - about some plotlines in CSI.
I need - to relax and not freak out about things so easily.
I should - write some new songs.
I dream - of being a nationally known songwriter.
I TAG - lobiwan, nevercountsheep, and daniel.

UnClever NearRhymes and other Mysterious Things

Whilst driving today I happened to hear a couple of country songs which sent me into a little zone of unfortunate rememberance.

Songs with annoying and highly un-clever near rhymes.

I'm talking about:

Brooks & Dunn with "Jesus" and "Pieces".

Darryl Worley with "Forgotten" and "Bin Laden".

Jamie O'Neal with "Man Is" and "Atlantis".

In turn, much to my wife's dismay, this memory led me into a thought process on one man's art versus another's.

I do not like songs that spell everything out. Songs with metaphorical imagery and multiple interpretation appeal to me much more strongly than say, a Martina McBride song about pitching in at the grocery store line to help those "a little less fortunate" than she.

I love how some songs can change meaning with age. Case in point: my song, "Forget". It's my response to 9/11, cloaked in a reference to those I know who've been sexually assaulted. I didn't clearly recognize just how plural the meaning was until this morning. As Bono said once, even he doesn't know what his own songs are about until much later.

I'm not trying to put anyone else down for their listening tastes, but I am trying to clarify just what makes it "Art" to me.

Tune in next time when I'll reveal which Radiohead song is about breast augmentation.

And Another Thing...

A perk of living in the country:

It would take serious effort to receive a noise complaint from a neighbor.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce! (Hornsby)

Can't help but recommend a track.

I'm so lucky I found it, but on a whim I downloaded some stuff from Itunes the other night and found a real gem. There's a new compilation album produced by Del McCoury (bluegrass artist) called Moneyland just released last July. On this album is a new arrangement of The Way It Is, with Bruce Hornsby playing a solo piano accompaniment with some subtle gospel quarted backgrounds provided by the Fairfield Four. Please check it out. I realize I'm probably the only one to openly weep at the arrangement or the piano tone, but I am almost sure you will be touched by the sensitivity of this version.

Copy this link for a clip:

http://www.amazon.com/Moneyland-Del-McCoury/dp/B00197XF9G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1221972473&sr=8-1

Stream of Consciousness

My Itunes is feeling kind of hippie-ish (Psst. I like it.)

These were all in a row with no interference from me!

Love and Peace (or Else)-U2
Listen-Collective Soul
Brother Against Brother-Degarmo&Key

Ryan Adams made me mad. He was quoted in American Songwriter this month saying how much he hates country music. May I ask you then, Sir Pretention, why you use country instruments and employ monster twang in a 90% of your recordings if you hate it so much? Fat load of good dating Mandy Moore did you. Jerk.

Reality shows that intentionally set up awkward meetings between former lovers to see if they'll kiss and make up really make me uncomfortable.

My guitar could use some new strings.

So could my bass.

100 degree days aren't nearly as fun as they sound.

Cars drive me crazy.

I need to blog more.