I’ve recently gotten into the band Clem Snide. I heard the song embedded below on the show I’ve been binge watching, The Good Wife, and they’re pretty good. They took their name from a reoccurring character in William S. Burroughs’ work and I think that’s pretty cool.
Anyway, Clem Snide is considered alt country and singsong-talkie, which I like. This song reminds me of Violent Femmes — now hear me out — think slow sad song with singsong-talk that you’re not sure if it’s sad, but it is. And could you have a better title than “No One’s More Happy Than You”?
And here’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror.”
This is “Moment in the Sun.” I heard this and fell in love.
Teenage Fanclub. I don’t recall writing about them before but I should have. They’re an alternative Scottish band that came out in the early 90s when everything I listened to was alternative (or The Beatles or Aretha or Otis). So, obviously I liked them. They didn’t get as big as their contemporaries, which is a huge shame. Huge. Oh yeah, and they won Best Album of 1991 by Spin magazine.
They’re a little Big Star, a little Brian Wilson, a little of everything good going on in the alternative scene then. And you know what? Their early albums are just as good as anything in adult alternative today. If you like The Lemonheads, Wilco, Matthew Sweet, or The Replacements you’ll like Teenage Fanclub. I promise. Bandwagonesque is the big album everyone who is familiar with them remembers, but dig deeper than that. Check them out. They’re super special.
This was never a question for me. I’ve been making art for myself and giving it away to family and friends for as long as I can remember. Sketches and paintings for friends when I was younger. Different paper crafts and canvas. Paint and typography. Then selling my artwork this past year.
This is for my Dear Readers. Art. Whether it’s visual, musical, or dramatic. Make art.
I came across this quote from John Steinbeck today. I’ve never liked a word of Steinbeck. No, let me rephrase. I despise Steinbeck. His novels — not fun reads. They don’t stir deep emotion in me. They don’t make me think. Saying that — this quote made me smile very big.
“There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-improtance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you – of kindness and consideration and respect – not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had.”
I saw this on one of my favorite blogs, Swiss Miss (not the hot chocolate) and being a huge fan of the one word sentence. The first time I used one was in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper when I was 16. Now I use them all the time. Yes. No. Superfantastic. And yes, I’ve also always made up words.
Here is the link to buy the T-shirt if you wish. The T-shirt can also obviously be a superfantastic way to stand up for consent. I think that’s pretty great.
Today marks 100 days of these nonsensical daily posts on the bloggity blog. I should write something meaningful, but it’s 11pm and I just got back from my son’s baseball game and I didn’t write earlier. So, in lieu of a brilliant post, here are the wonderful lyrics to the Gilmore Girls theme song. It’s kind of appropriate. It’s not about leading or following to me. It’s about being needed.
I’ve mentioned over the past couple of months that life has been difficult. There have been things placed in my life I’ve never had to deal with and it’s not been fun. I’ve tried my best to not cave, to not let those things get me down, to not let those things add to my depression. And I’ve done a pretty good damn job of it. Yes, Dear Reader, I have posted quite a number of things here that help me release tension, to let go…
And I have let a number of things go. And I’ve read and meditated on 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And boy, am I thankful. And I am giving thanks because I am a believer. I know that I am a sinner. I know God loves me. And I know he loves me through it all. I am thankful through it all. I am thankful for the shit and I am thankful for the things that aren’t. I am thankful because I am loved.
It’s been a good day. I’ve been busy, still haven’t finished two posts I’m working on. I saw this tshirt on the Instagrams and I need it. One of the best songs ever recorded.
I posted it before and I’m posting it again and probably will post in the future. Enjoy “Silver Springs.”
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