Inside Joke

Sometimes you fall in love with a band, listen to the album over and over and over again, and therefore end up memorizing every note. The things that surprised your ears and fed the lyric geek in you don't perk you up anymore--you know they're coming. You know that those weird notes and that great tag line are waiting patiently for their turn. You never really forget that you love the music, but the element of surprise, the need to sit and listen and analyze this new, funky stuff we're still calling Bluegrass, it goes away. You put the album away, save it for a rainy day, and move on with your musical life.

But then, new music arrives.

It's more beautiful, more surprising, more witty than you remember. It makes you THIRST for the day you can hear the whole album, maybe get to see the band live, hear the musicians themselves talk about these songs and the reasons they play the way they do. You realize, again, exactly why you fell in love with this band in the first place.



And friends, Cadillac Sky is releasing a new album in August, and I've just heard a track from the album. The album is called Gravity's Our Enemy, the song is called "Inside Joke," and the music is Skaggs meets Thile. Bluegrass with attitude, with MAJOR musicianship, and so many outside influences, it's incredible. Check this song out.

Also, the lyrics are written about a dream mandolinist Bryan Simpson had-- Chris Thile sang a song written about a dream as well, though written by North Dakota native Tom Brousseau, called "How to Grow a Woman From the Ground." One time, I wrote a song about a dream too. They're the best, because they're basically already written for you, you just have to put them into permanent form. And apparently, Bluegrassers love them too. I'll have to remember that.

Discography Compilation-Rebecca Lynn Howard

Other than songs she's written for herself, Rebecca Lynn Howard has written songs that have been recorded by many others. The list of songs includes:

Cowboy Guaruntee- Jessica Andrews
Hit by Love- Lila McCann
I Don't Paint Myself into Corners- Trisha Yearwood (also on RLH's debut)

Other names she's apparently written for, but which songs I can't find:

Reba McEntire
John Michael Montgomery

and... probably more, as she's signed to an exclusive publishing deal with Murrah Music.

If you know which songs either of those artists recorded, or if you know of any other songs Rebecca's written for another artist, chime in and let me know. I love her songwriting and would love to check any and all of it out.

Prayer of a Common Man, again

So really, guys? Honestly? It pains me to say this, A LOT, not only because I ran out and bought the CD on the release date, and not only because after the first track I thought, "Hmm, a little weird, but MAJOR potential," and not only because the poor guy just (relatively speaking) got a divorce and one of the best songs on the whole album was co-written by his ex-wife in what seems to have been some unfortunate foreshadowing, but because I. LOVE. PHIL. VASSAR. I love him quite a bit. I've seen him live TWICE, and I can't recall seeing any other major label performer more than once. I own each of his CDs, even the Greatest Hits, because HI! New recordings of songs I love by the man who wrote them! Who could resist?! Not me.

But this new album? This Prayer of a Common Man? It is a disappointment.

Believe me, I tried. I left this CD in my car stereo for weeks. I listened to it over and over, while I was packing, while I was studying

I'm not saying there aren't a few good tunes. The first track, "This is My Life," is one of those great working man tracks complete with Vassar-style word play and melodies, and his token "heeeeey-ee-eh-yeahs," and "whoa-oh, whoa-ohs." It also features some production techniques, and even moreso, arrangements atypical of country music, and therein was where I heard the potential. I didn't immediately jump for joy, but I thought to myself, "This could grow on me..."

The next track was so TYPICAL Phil that I could have sworn I'd heard it somewhere before... perhaps, oh, I don't know, American Child? And, folks, AC was arguably his weakest album. Sophomore slump and all. Of course, the song hasn't been anywhere before, but it's just got that sound, that melody, those lyrics... Did he perhaps dig into his archives? Not out of the question, but couldn't they have done something new with the arrangement, at very least?

"My Chevrolet" one of those nostalgia songs. Not bad, but I liked "Amazing Grace" better.

"Love is a Beautiful Thing" is a song I'm actually quite in love with. I defended his cover of the tune (Paul Brandt did it some time ago in the '90s) assuming he'd penned it, considering the style and all, and knowing Phil is a songwriter... it seemed a safe assumption. But no, it's a Craig Wiseman/Jeffrey Steele tune. At any rate, it's a great song, and sung well by Phil. My only complaint with this tune, a complaint I've had from the beginning, was the backseat the piano took to everything else (is that an electric pedal steel? what is that?) in the arrangement. Dude plays piano! Come on!

"Prayer of a Common Man" is a decent tune, and I think maybe my lack of appreciation for this one is just the subject matter. I don't relate. I think a lot of people will though. It's a well written song, I can hear the piano, and the vocal performance is stellar.

"I Would" is presumably the next single. It's one of Phil's upbeat songs, and it's decent, but it's another of those songs that sounds like every other Phil song. With each of his other albums, there were the songs I loved, and there were the songs I would have labeled "filler." Not bad, never gonna make it to radio, just there to take that track space that needs to be taken. The tracks I loved were usually nine or ten, and the filler tracks only two or three. Unfortunately, I've only taken you through six tracks so far, and this is the third filler track I've heard so far.

And now begins the "I Don't Know What He Was Thinking" half of the disk. Retro Rock? From the '50s? Seriously Phil? REALLY?

Okay, I'm not sure that's completely fair because I don't know my old music well enough to go putting labels or decades on all of it. Let's just say, this sounds OLD.

"Why Don't Ya?" is the first of these songs. Brainless lyrics, doo-wop backup vocals and all.

"It's Only Love" starts with a very early Beatles vocal, and then inexplicably morphs into Phil-filler material. Something Phil isn't really great with is sarcasm or snark. I spoil myself with Brad Paisley, I suppose, who is master of humor and wordplay in country music. Phil tries here, though. He's being ironic, and the words work, but the music doesn't fit. Brad's funny with the words AND the music--he makes them work together. Phil doesn't quite have that. It's a little disappointing.

Thank God, back to another great song: "Let Me Love You Tonight," The Ballad I Always Fall In Love With on this album. He's always got at least one great ballad on every album, and I'm SO glad that I didn't have to be disappointed with at least that part this time around. The most heartbreaking part of this whole thing is that he wrote it with Julie, his ex-wife, and it's completely and totally about breaking up. I can't believe they wrote it together. It makes me wonder when and under what circumstances it was written. It's truly heartbreaking.

"Baby Rocks" is just awful. It's just not even... good. "Hoo-hoos" reminiscent of Kenny Chesney's "Young" (and someone knows how much I hate those), no real melody, kind of old sounding but not really, stupid screaming in the beginning, and a very, very cheesy hook: "my baby rocks like a rolling stone." Hmm. Have I heard that before? The one thing I do find interesting about this track, and I'm not sure if it was purposeful or not, is one of the riffs in the instrumental. It sounds like a foreshadow of the melody of the next song. If that's true, whoever produced this did so with the ALBUM in mind, and I love thinkers like that...

"The World is a Mess" is another "old" sounding tune, and I'm not a huge fan of it, but it does have its moments. When you hear it, if you do, tell me if the line "I need the money honey" doesn't make you just wanna sing/scream at the top of your lungs. Just tell me, really. I do like the feel of this one in the verses, it's the chorus that just leaves me scratching my head and going, "huh?"

"Crazy Life" is a good closer, a good Phil tune, not so typical that I feel that I've heard it before, but it's got enough of him in it that it really reminds me why I love him. It's also really simple--great piano, and only piano for more than a minute. Even when the rest of the arrangement comes in, it's really simple, lovely, acoustic, mandolin, a little guitar, and subtle drums. This tune is truly lovely, and I wish the album was full of more tunes like this one.


So to finish, I'd say I guess I don't regret picking this album up, but after Shaken Not Stirred, I was just expecting... better. Shaken Not Stirred changed a lot from the first two albums, so it's not that I'm bitter about the change from that one to this one. I loved the change. It was brilliant, really, and I was excited to see where else Phil could go. Unfortunately, he didn't take a path that really excited me, but hey, maybe that retro mumbo-jumbo will work for someone else...

Also, after I listen to something again so I can rip on it, I usually find I didn't hate it quite as much as I remembered. So there's that.

We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.

Yes, when you read this you might hear some "Space Case!" whispers, but in his own way, he put into words exactly how I feel about my own songs sometimes.


These songs; take them. Share them. Own them. Make love to them. Cook to them. Eat with them. Buckle them up in the car and blast them during your busy city commute. Sleep with them on in the background. Send them to your dreams' ideal setting. Maybe steal a little of me for those moments. I love traveling. With the songs new life I'll imagine myself being spread around like a good flu.

I've said it in a million interviews already. The songs don't belong to me. They are bigger than I'll ever be and they'll certainly live a lot longer than I will. That's why this album is less about me and more life in general. It's an album about awesome times, celebrated by real people, sexy people, and waking up to smell their sweet sweat still lingering in the air.

Someone once passed me a stack of books and said enjoy. And when you are done, pass them on, for they do not belong to you. They belong to the world. And that is what I'm doing with these songs. They are of the world and for the world.

Even the personal songs about my family and factual love stories, I will not take credit for writing them. It is my duty to simply sit and listen to a frequency that anyone can hear; a station perhaps from space, commercial free, broadcast in the clouds. I don't ask. I sing-a-long to that station nonetheless, and happen to record the phrases and melodies from time to time, and still they are not my own. Maybe I am a receiver, but just an instrument in that sense. My body is just hardware. Some other wonderful force is playing the song.

Whatever "being" is to the human, whatever air is to the bird, or what water is to the fish. Whatever force decides to make our hearts beat and food digest. That mad divine scientist is who is responsible for these songs. They are a gift for all of us.

I am so grateful and so I project and we share the sweetness.

I am glad you're listening too. Enjoy the new album.

--Jason Mraz

I am enjoying the new album. It's lovely. It's definitely more Mr. A-Z than it is Rocket, but not quite as out there as A-Z was. A little less self-indulgent. Features Colbie Caillat and James Morrison, and a Jason who seems to have come back down to Earth--maybe not all the way, but who needs to plant their feet in the ground? Not me.

And on a slightly related note, his journal is actually fun to read again. Did he change or did I? Both, perhaps?

Like Johnny and June

New music to discuss at some point in the near future:

Michael Buble's Call Me Irresponsible

Jason Mraz's We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Phil Vassar's Prayer of a Common Man, revisited...

But for now, I just turned on country radio, something, as you know, I only do on occasion, and heard a song I'd been told to keep my ears open for: a song called Johnny and June.

The song is the latest from Heidi Newfield, former front girl of Trick Pony. I spent the entire song trying to figure out who that voice belonged to, and never really put my finger on it, because the style is definitely different than the Trick Pony style. However, it's a great song, and the lyrics are just... well... perfect.


Heidi Newfield: Johnny & June EPK

Phil Vassar, Prayer of a Common Man

I have this insane urge to call up Phil Vassar, like we're friends or something, and tell him that his new CD is INCREDIBLE and I'm just so damn proud of him.

The songwriting is solid as always, but he's taken some major leaps and bounds in his sound. I've always said that Phil isn't just mainstream country. He doesn't make the same album over and over again. His self titled debut and American Child did sound fairly similar, but with Shaken Not Stirred, he went a little more Billy Joel and even Ray Charles, with his Greatest Hits (for which he recorded six or seven new tracks of songs he wrote but that were made popular by other artists) he went for a simple, more acoustic approach, and with the new album, Prayer of a Common Man, he took yet another direction. Some of the tunes are a little more radio friendly, but some of them, especially the first track, I almost want to use the term avant garde. The ones that are a little more typical are still produced differently... in a way that you feel as if you're listening to the music in an arena (with a good sound technician...) rather than from a machine reading a disc. It feels energetic and LIVE.

Of course, he's also on a new label this time around, which is something I didn't realize was happening until I read the liner notes and noticed he thanked his "new family" at Universal South. Another thing I noticed... no mention of Julie, and no wedding ring in the photos. Somebody got a divorce...

The music though. Man, the music. I'm a fan.

The disc dropped YESTERDAY. Go out and grab it. Let's give this man some great first week sales. He deserves them.

Rediscovery

Do you ever buy a CD, so excited to fall in love once again with a favorite artist, and find that what's inside just isn't speaking to you? You can pop that old album into your CD player and everything feels the same, but these new songs, which you assumed would bring you just as much emotion in one way or another, really say nothing to you at all?

But then, months, maybe even years later, you pull it off the shelf and decide to give it another try. All of a sudden, everything clicks. You get it. The music gets to you. You are completely satisfied in the fifteen dollars you spent, even if it was four years ago.

Vanessa Carlton's Harmonium.

Now, truthfully, when I bought this CD, I listened to it quite a bit. I liked the aesthetic of the pianos and the strings and the rock guitar, and even though the girl can't sing, something about her voice just works with the music. I was so incredibly innocent when I bought this album, though. 2004, man, that was a long time ago. It took me listen after listen after listen to put together the meaning of "White Houses," and hello, it's pretty obvious what "White Houses" is about.

Still, though, Be Not Nobody meant so much to me in terms of my entire high school self. I understood every note and every word on that album, even the cover of the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black." It all made sense. Harmonium never really did.

'Til tonight.

Granted, some things on this album will never, ever speak to me, because they include some very spiritual views that are so far from my own that I just can't even imagine. However, my mind has opened up enough since my days as a high school senior and college freshman to be able to hold an appreciation for the lyricism and musicality of them all.

The things that do speak to me, though, just all of a sudden made sense. Part of that is because very recently, the poetic side of me has been awakened. I've always known poetry would be a major part of me at some point in my life, but damned if I could understand it until now. Something in my head has just clicked, and words that have never made sense make sense now, and that's part of what's going on with this music. Part of it, though, is that I'm not quite so young and innocent anymore. I've been through a lot more than I had by the time I moved out of Mommy and Daddy's house, and that's not to say that these experiences have been bad, or that I have any regrets. They haven't and I don't. But I've grown up, I have a greater understanding of myself, of the world, of the human condition... Certain things I continue to be naive about, and I hope I can stay naive about some of those things. But in this case, right here, I'm awake, and I get it, and Vanessa and I are on the same page.

I'm not going to sing her praises, though. After the semester of pop/rock lit that I've been through, and the last month of my life with a boy who spins silver with his words, it's hard to impress me with poetic prowess anymore. She's not incredible, but the fact remains that tonight, I finally got it, and that makes me extremely happy.

Boy you swallow truth like honey
as you spew your lies upon me
sweet and smooth as it goes down...



On another note, I bought Radiohead's In Rainbows, I think in November. I listened through it once or twice, and completely forgot about it. Radiohead and any other band with that similar aesthetic... they've never really been my thing. But I figured it was worth a few bucks, since I wouldn't have to pay full price, and maybe I'd expand my musical palette. Yeah, I wasn't such a big fan.

But yesterday, I decided I was in the mood for something different, for some real... SOUND. And I pulled it up, and it's been playing nearly nonstop since then. I hadn't even bothered looking at or paying attention to lyrics, because I just wanted the sound at that point. I needed to assimilate myself to the band, to the instruments they were using, to the chord progressions and melodies... the reason I didn't like it at first was because it all sounded the same to me; I didn't know what I was listening for. Tonight, I finally started recognizing this piece and that piece from different songs, and decided it was time to pull up the lyrics, and OH MY GOD, do I love Radiohead! I don't absolutely connect with everything these lyrics say, but situations and emotions are portrayed so well that I almost feel as if I'm there, feeling them too. Not to mention, they're just intelligent. I've been all over Wikipedia looking up this reference and that, and it's funny, because I'm now learning about other cultures through my music. German culture specifically. Weird, right? So weird. But I'm in love.

So. That's that.

Thoughts on either of these albums, or another you have felt the same about? Discuss.