I read the news today, oh boy (and yesterday and in these depression months), and the suicide story’s unrelenting:  Linkous, Jay R., Jamie, Hughes, Hendry, Andrew, the Cornell Kids….

My preferred (albeit skewed) take away from The Antlers’ awe-inspiring “Wake”:

When the good people come (and they will) with their helicopter to lift you out, please (I beg of you) choose to let these people in.  We beg of you…let them in.

09 Wake

“Wake” by The Antlers:

“With the door closed, shades drawn, the world shrinks.
Let’s open up those blinds.
But someone has to sweep the floor, pick up her dirty clothes.
That job’s not mine.
Now that everyone’s an enemy, my heart sinks.
Let’s put away those claws.
I don’t blame them for their curtains-calls because I pulled the rope.
I wannna call them back out for applause.

Spring and Thompson on the first of May is horrible.
We hid in catacombs.
So now I’m sleeping next to mousetraps, in a bed of all our clothes,
while I hope that she won’t come home.
It was easier to lock the doors and kill the phones than to show my skin,
because the hardest thing is never to repent for someone else,
It’s letting people in.

Well you can come inside, unlock the door, take off your shoes.
But this might take all night.
To explain to you I would have walked out those sliding doors,
but the timing never seemed right.
When your helicopter came and tried to lift me out,
I put its rope around my neck.
And after that you didn’t bother with the airlift or the rescue-
you knew just what to expect.

That with the door closed, shades drawn, we’re dead enough.
They don’t open from outside.
And someone has to speak with their teeth behind their tongue,
to never let that right be denied.
We can’t rely on photographs and visitation time,
but I just don’t know where to begin.
I wanna bust down the door, if you’re willing to forgive.
I’ve got the keys.  I’m letting people in.

Don’t be scared to speak, don’t speak with someone’s tooth,
don’t bargain when you’re weak, don’t take that sharp abuse.
Some patients can’t be saved, but that burden’s not on you.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you you deserve that….”

Our library is a luminous treasure trove, and is perhaps my favorite habitat in our fine town.  While meandering through the stacks looking for how-to-draw books, I discovered illustrator/author Edward Gorey and two of his books:   The Broken Spoke (1976) and Amphigorey (1972).   The books are filled with beguiling and bizarre drawings and comics (alternatingly whimsical and tenebrous), all obviously drawn under the influence of a keen mind and/or the prevalent psychedelics of that era.    The Broken Spoke is an homage to all things cycle-delic.   And given my addiction to all things cycling, The Broken Spoke immediately spoke to me.   Gorey’s drawing entitled Bicycle Worship in the Tediola Archipelago is typical of Gorey’s Two Wheels Good collection.

So I’m sittin’ here up late with my 74 year old, blessed father, and we’re checking out last week’s National performance on Fallon (updated below since the Fallon video is no longer available).  It’s all relatively innocuous, but I notice he can’t take his eyes off the screen.  And then I see my dad’s right foot tapping heavy to the rhythm as the band throttles it.  The vantage is vintage and ineffable, and from this alone I know that I have been blessed.  And yet I’m still checking that foot, and it is Morse-ing front row tickets to the National show.  And there is room for belief in something bigger.  And the band plays on.  Tapping involuntary.  Tapping relentless.  Faith in humanity restored.  And The National continue to nationalize passionate art.

We recently checked out the splendiferous Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and had the fortune of catching the opening band, Chief.  Jeffrey of Club Mercy let us know that Alex (Sharpe) was touting the band so we made sure to catch their set.  While Chief isn’t breaking any musical ground (yet), they play with verve on well-crafted songs graced with compelling lyrics and hammering (3 or 4-part) harmonies.  After their set, hirsute guitarist, Danny Fujikawa, mentioned their impending new longplayer, but his face lit up when I said I’d prefer to hear their “less-polished” EP.  Next thing I know, Danny slips out to their van and brings me their stellar five-song EP.  At times they remind of the Band and at others I hear Bruce Cockburn vocals.  Regardless a band to keep track of.

Check out their song Nice People below and the video of Your Direction at the Deep Six Club TV link further below.

Chief–Nice People

05 Nice People

Chief–Your Direction (video)

http://www.doublesixclub.tv/session/6/chief

The best of us glean analytics during the day, but manage to maintain a romantic heart.  Vascillation may transpire.  Use each exclusively at your own risk.  The admixture retains the allure.

In Hannah, the Freelance Whales capture the romantic while Hannah’s off breaking analytic this morning (SAT).  I don’t know ’bout no martinis, but the Whales update the 40-year old Sugar Sugar realm while swinging properly.

02 Hannah