I enjoy this song a lot— it’s almost as dark and brooding as I am. Heh, I wonder if dark or brooding have ever been used to describe me. I doubt it.
If I Had A Heart from Fever Ray on Vimeo.
First video from Fever Ray’s self titled debut album:
feverray.com
» Where Is My Mind by Maxence Cyrin
I can’t get enough of this exquisite piano cover of the classic Pixies song by Maxence Cyrin. It’s somber and extraordinary.
A friend of mine last week mentioned Barry White’s voice and that got me thinking about the essence of smooth. Then I thought about running and how I’m on a quest to make my running “Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast”, Caballo Blanco style. I’m always on the lookout for new running music, especially for those long runs when I’m out there for hours on end and can use a little help finding my groove. A lot of times I instantly gravitate towards more up-tempo music when I think of running, because, well, it’s RUNNING! Really though, there’s all kinds of running just like there’s all kinds of music to go with it— especially during marathon training.
Much to my chagrin I don’t have any Barry White or anything similar. I used to have a good collection of Marvin Gaye, but that was stolen in Alaska. Who is that far-north bastard that stole my soul? In perusing the Barry White albums online I also came to a bunch of Marvin Gaye and Al Green. I ended up purchasing Al Green’s Greatest Hits. I think I nailed it with this purchase, actually, with this whole genre of 70′s Soul Music. I’ll work on getting some Marvin Gaye back into my collection soon and probably some others.
» Tired of Being Alone by Al Green
During my long run Saturday morning (15 miles), Al Green came on my headphones after about a mile and kept me rolling along smoothly for the rest of the album. There’s no need to put any thought into relaxing into my stride when Al Green is dropping soul into my ears. There’s no unnecessary exertion in running along in that situation, it’s just soul gravity pulling me where I need to go.
I doubt I look as smooth as I feel out there when I’m hitting my stride, but I’d like to think passers-by see me running on those country roads and think, “Hot damn, there goes GP again, floating along on his river of soul!”
Some mornings you wake up and say, “Hey, let’s go.”
Some mornings you wake up hungry for a power pancake breakfast.
‘Cause there’ll be a long run today!
You roll out of bed with the lovely wife, rustle up the puppy and it’s on. Let puppy outside to give Chip a run for his life, get the coffee brewing, get the pancake batter mixing, get the blood pumping. Puppy gets fed, husband and wife get fed, all the while sun pours in through the windows.
Later, breakfast finished, Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s “Down by the River” blasting. Let it wash over you…
Be on my side, I’ll be on your side, baby.
There is no reason for you to hide.
It’s so hard for me staying here all alone,
when you could be taking me for a ride.
Guitar, bass, and drums roll on…
This morning, we are Neil Young’s crazy horse. We will run far. Cool morning temps don’t hold us back, we will tear it up.
Soon out there on the run, maybe this same song playing, cranking along with the vigorous, yet smooth stride of a man on a mission— there are no worries, there is only the steady effort of forward propulsion. Miles of roads and trails, fresh air, that perfect balance of ease and dogged determination.
Run on, Crazy Horse Petitto, you’ve got a long way to go.
For Christmas I was gifted a copy of The Antler’s Hospice. It’s taken awhile, but the album has grown to my liking so much that rarely a day goes by anymore where I don’t listen to at least a few songs. The subject matter is tough, supposedly the songs are an elegy to a dying friend of bandleader Peter Silberman. Most of the songs are somber, almost funereal, but don’t be fooled listener of lyrics and beats, there is profound acceptance through reflection woven into this album and it’s all quite awe-inspiring. Here’s “Bear”, which I can’t get enough of:
Here’s “Two”, another one of my favorites from the album:
Nothing quite brings about pensive absurdity like a nip of scotch in the evenings. It may not be Tuesday, but tonight, being Wednesday, is Tuesday’s future!
How have I been, you wonder?
Well, I’ve been, most certainly. There were recent doldrums to conquer. Alas, they have come and gone. Now midweek is here and I’m again smacked with gratitude and joy. A new album has made its way into my musical mix-up and it might be the most magnificent album I’ve purchased in awhile— Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. It’s a trip and a half, being equal parts marching madness and gallivanting good times. The music itself is enough to smash apart any sort of foul mood on most days, I imagine.
Besides new good music, I went for an outstanding run for the first time in five days today. Why the long stretch of not running, you ask? Well, the ball of my left foot has been an achy hunk of worthlessness. I figured it was a bruise that’s resulted from my shortened stride— which itself has come about this winter in an attempt to keep my feet underneath my hips and therefore slip less on icy, cold messes. It’s worked, I haven’t fallen once even since giving up wearing grippies over my shoes. The shortened stride results in more of a mid-foot strike than my usual over-striding heel strike. The mid-foot landing is desired, but my feet are still adapting to the preferable gait. After consulting with my friend Jessica, however, I’ve learned that my foot pain might be the result of stepping on a tiger. I do not remember stepping on a tiger, but such a scenario would be quite traumatic and perhaps I am unconsciously blocking it from my memory?
Today’s run was the first in my new minimalist trail running shoes, the New Balance MT100′s. They’re lighter than a popcorn fart. There’s hardly anything to these shoes, which is great! Just a thin mesh upper connected to some light cushioning and a decent rock plate. The tread seems sufficient, but I’m yet to test the shoes out on trails since there’s still a couple feet of snow on the ground. Today I took them on the partially ice-covered road for a quick 4 mile out and back. My foot did not bother me and I was running faster than I had in a long time without even intending to push myself. I am thoroughly enjoying the added ground feel that comes with such a basic shoe. I know my feet are not strong enough to wear these shoes for a very long run yet, but maybe over time they will be and I won’t need the uber-cushioned trainers anymore. We’ll see.
In other news, I made a vegetarian variation of avgolemono tonight. I’ve never had avgolemono before, which is a Greek soup, but I love soup and my aforementioned friend Jessica sent me a link to a recipe for it today. It sounded good and I made it happen. Traditionally it features chicken, a smooth lemon-chicken-egg broth, and rice or orzo. In lieu of chicken I started with veggie broth and rocked some garbanzo beans and carrots. Instead of rice I used quinoa. It turned out deliciously refreshing and good, but perhaps slightly strong of lemon. I like how the egg mixture succeeded in not curdling and gave the soup a pleasant light-yellowish hue. The only other addition I made was the fresh grinding of some pepper into the individual bowls for a little punch. I think the next time I make it I might cut back on the lemon and make sure I use fresh lemons instead of using the bottled stuff I had on hand. Thank you good people of Greece for a happy little soup that I am now able to make!
Now, get some Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros in you and carry on with the wonder that is your life:
I find “The Wheel“, by Bill Callahan quite inspirational and uplifting. It goes like this:
The wheel has turned one full circle.
Time for my meal of wood.
To make my home, Lord,
In a stable spoke, Lord,
Inside a turning wheel would be good.
To make my home, Lord,
In a stable spoke, Lord,
Inside a turning wheel bound for good.
A wood bee tries to find purchase
On a turning spoke
From Memphis to Potomac,
Never giving up hope.
I’d die in your jails, Lord,
But you’d die by my laws, Lord.
I think you got it worse.
No rebel I, Lord.
I follow the river
When I’m lost,
When I’m lost.
The wheel has turned one more circle.
The payload is now immense.
So climb aboard all,
Climb aboard.
Because the heavier we get,
The harder we crush.
The wagon rolls like an old millstone
Driving bad deeds six feet deep.
To make my home, Lord,
In a stable spoke, Lord,
Inside a turning wheel would be good.
To make my home, Lord,
In a stable spoke, Lord,
Inside a turning wheel bound for good.
…
Yep, I too would like to make my home in a stable spoke, Lord, inside a turning wheel bound for good. Maybe I’m already there, maybe we’re all already there, but are too caught up in the particulars of this world to see the rest. Just as it’s hard to see the forest for the trees, I suppose it’s hard to know the spoke for the wheel…if you get my roll.
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