dls

To answer the original question, I don't think he's really calling anyone. I can't hear this song without thinking of Lady Macbeth: "Out damned spot" and "Who knew the old man had so much blood in him?" That sort of thing. It's a song about someone who has lost any attachment to reality because of guilt and paranoia. That's how I hear it anyway.

harmony, rhythm - time signatures/tempo etc... - are all mathematical, whether that's in the lyrics or the music. mathematics is not subjective. the really intersting thing is how many variations you can achieve with such a small amount of variables (eg. the 12 notes of an octave, or the structure of a single bar), but it's when you combine these elements together that you produce an infinite number of results. however, those core elements have to each be "good" and then, together, have to be in some form of harmony for the end results to be "good". a good example of mathematics at work in music would be zaireka, by the flaming lips - there are 4 cd's and you have to play them together on 4 seperate systems to achieve the one piece of music (for those of you that did not know). now, if you press play at roughly the same time, the music sounds good - but if you played cd 1 and 2 at the same time and then pressed play on cd 4 20 seconds later and cd 3 30 seconds later it would probably be too discordant to be "good" (or maybe it won't, yet there would be examples of doing that process when it wouldn't work) that is an example of how simple mathematics effects the quality of music.

 

anyway, i could go on forever about this and it'd not change people in either camps mind. really, if music is so subjective it's sad to see why so many people like the same stuff when it comes to compiling greatest albums list - cos some outside force must be causing people to think the same way, rather than them personally making the decision themselves. otherwise there would be a massive spread of ever changing opinion - making list making a very tough past time.

 

i believe the only thing subjective is whether or not a person likes it, not whether or not them thinking something is good makes it good - that is simply being right or wrong about something. you know, some people like having their balls stamped on by high heels - that doesn't mean having your balls stamped on by high heels is good, it simply means that they like it.

I'm not sure I undertand the math side of this argument, but I do agree that good music does exist independent of what we think about it. That is, Mozart's music is good, even if I think it sucks. And the only way you can really tell if music, or anything, is good or has quality (math aside) is if it stands the test of time. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence" is a good read on this sort of thing.

Springsteen in the winter of '84. It was my first concert. I was ten, and went with my mom and my brother. It lasted 3+ hours, and was ridiculous. For many years, I thought all concerts were like that. I was very, very wrong.

I like SBS. Hearing the songs live make me enjoy the album even more. I don't care why I like the album, and I don't care why anyone else doesn't like the album.

Got mine yesterday. Can't wait for Wednesday. I hope it's dry!

Hey everyone,

I'm going to the Lawrence show in a few weeks and my tickets still haven't arrived in the mail --- I'm getting a bit nervous. For those that are going to the same show --- do you have your tickets yet?

D.

Does anyone know if the Crossroads VIP section is that much of an upgrade from the regular GA section?

I can't speak to how JT writes his songs, perhaps what's first is best, or he might be one of those writers that spends years fussing over each line (didn't it take Leonard Cohen 5 years to write Hallelujah?). At any rate, because couples have some of their most intimate conversations/moments in bed, that line struck me funny. As someone who went thru something similar years ago, sleeping alone was the last thing I came to grips with.

So, I'm listening to "Hate It Here" tonight and I was wondering about the line: "I make my bed I change the sheets"

Maybe it's just the editor in me, but shouldn't the line be: "I make our bed I change the sheets"? The narrator of the song is singing to the woman that left him and clearly he isn't over her. Seems like "my bed" sort of implies that the guy is getting over the girl, even though the rest of the song doesn't back that up. I might be overthinking this, but I'm guessing JT didn't just pass over this stuff once, and mulled over each line. To me, changing the line "our" doesn't sound any better or worse (sans alliteration of course) and makes more sense. Any thoughts?

I've got a hunch it'll be one of the three tracks that leaked this week.

Hey, thanks for the input everyone --- I'm going to check out a few of these recommendations this weekend.

The Beatles were a big part of my childhood too. The first 45 I ever bought was Strawberry Fields Forever with Penny Lane on the B side. I think I was seven or eight.

Thanks again!

Hi all,

I lurk here often but seldom post. Thought this would be a good place to gather a bit of info.

I have a four-month-old son who seems to really dig music, either me playing it to him or on CD. My son is interested in some music, dismisses others. He seems to really like Allison Krauss and solo Tweedy. He'll sit and listen to both for a good 30+ minutes, which is outstanding for him. For those of you that have kids, do you recall any CDs your kids enjoyed when they were little? I'd welcome any suggestions --- I'd like to stay away from normal kiddie fare, if possible, but I'm pretty open to anything.

Thanks!

I dig Nels, but sometimes I get the feeling he's almost too good, if that makes any sense. I grew up on Zep and the reason I dug Page so much was his playing had kind of a sloppy feeling to it.

All my daydreams are disasters

She's the one I think I love

Rivers burn and then run backwards

For her, that's enough

"New Madrid"

One of the best opening lines in Tweedy's catalog...

I love all of Tweedy's stuff, but to paraphrase Bill Clinton, we're seldom as good as our biggest fans think we are, and we're seldom as bad as our harshest critics suggest.

Comparing Tweedy to Tweedy says enough about his songwriting ability, in my opinion.

First-time poster, though I drop in here pretty often to read show reviews or to find MP3s.

I'm 32, married, and I'll be a dad in 9 weeks. I graduated from the University of Kansas with an English degree. I'm working for a publishing company in Chicago as an editor, but I work from home because I left Chicago over a year ago to move closer to family.

I listen to just about everything --- Dylan, Zep, the usual stuff. I'm really in to Lori McKenna these days --- she's worth checking out if you haven't heard her already. I converted the wife as well. She was pretty indifferent until YHF.

I was introduced to Wilco in 97 when a buddy of mine from college had an extra ticket to see them at the Granada on Mass St. I had heard Outtasite before, but that was it. I really just went to drink some beers and hang out. My buddy was (and presumably still is) a huge fan, so we got there early and we were in the first row or two. Other than my first concert ever --- Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. tour in Memphis when I was 11 (my mom took me) --- my first Wilco show was the best rock show I've ever seen. Like I said, I was partially familiar with one song, but I didn't care. Near the end of the show, Tweedy jumped into the crowd and landed on my head. I bought Being There the next day and I've been a huge fan since. I've seen 5 Wilco shows, including one of the Vic shows, and one JT solo show. I'm teaching myself guitar right now, but the only Wilco song I can play is California Stars. I can play Birds and Ships, tho!