Somewhere Under Wonderland

Someone once asked me a question.  If you were stranded on a desert island and could only listen to one band or artist for the rest of time who would it be?   My snap answer was Neil Young, as he had such a huge catalog and such varying styles over his career.  I figured it would take me years to get through everything and prevent me from getting bored too soon.  Afterward of course I thought about it more and came upon a different answer.  It would have to be the Counting Crows.

Adam Duritz once left me free tickets for one of their concerts.  He happened to be a friend of a friend and despite not knowing me he left them at will call to pickup once I arrived..  I thought that was pretty cool.  That plays no part in my affection for the band and it's music though.  I fell in love with their music upon hearing 'Round Here' from their debut album in the early 90's.  The imagery of the lyrics along with the various instruments and music styles just hooked me.  Few artists can put out such deep meaning lyrics on a majority of their songs.

When you look up information on Adam Duritz on the internet, you find that he suffers from Depersonalization Disorder, which is a mental condition that consists of feeling disconnected from one's physical body.  Sufferers feel like they are in a dreamlike state in which they are detached from reality unable to claim their own thoughts or emotions.  You have to believe that this condition, while unfortunate, leads to many of the lyrics he produces.  Lyrics that many times reach the levels of true poetry.  Thoughts that you want to hear more of and make you upset when the song finally ends.

The Counting Crows are about to release their first album of new material in over a decade.  They have released a couple of songs from the album, one of which is 'Palisades Park'.    Duritz blends the history of the infamous Jim Jeffries/ Jack Johnson fight that took place in downtown Reno, NV in 1910 with the now defunct Palisades Park Amusement Park in New Jersey which closed in 1971.  I love this song, can't stop listening to it.    Below is a link to the official video which takes the form of a short movie.

Let me be Ray for a day

Ray LaMontagne is one of my favorite artists, hands down.  I love his music, his style, and his fuck you attitude towards making music that is destined for the Top 40 charts.  He does what he wants, never taking into account what the music company likes or what will get regular airplay on the radio.  Being true to oneself is quite a noble quality these days and LaMontagne did it his way without compromising. 

His shows are comparatively plain- no special effects, no video, no hype.  The only real variation is the fact there are four or five different colored spotlights under which the band plays.  His attire fits the theme also, with a t-shirt, flannel and jeans the limit of his wardrobe.

Popular songs rely on a hook to catch a listener.  Something that sticks in their head and makes them want to hear it over and over.  While I cannot deny the attraction of a good hook, I love lyrics that hit me just as much.    Something that can be interpreted in different ways yet holds some kind of common understanding.

'Ojai' is my favorite song off his new album.  The hook is there, and the lyrics are cryptic enough to allow me to attach meaning to them.   LaMontagne has an interesting back story, growing up so poor that a meal that included meat signified a special occasion in his family.  The guy has demons and they come out in many songs.  Ojai is a city in California, but I can guarantee it is also a metaphor for someone or something close to him.  It is doubtful though that the hermit like artist will ever reveal it in an interview.   All the best, it works better to form your own meaning.