so count it on your fingers
if we got it wrong it’s ‘cause the days have numbers.
This week I’ve been rooting around for some words that felt like the right words to say here, but I’ve been leaning on the words of others even more than usual lately and came up empty.
I’ve also been going on a lot of walks recently, so instead of trying to hard for anything insightful, my offering to you this week is simple and two fold.
1) Here is a photo I took on a walk this week of an amp someone seems to have have tried hiding in the bushes at a bus stop near my house. Pretend it’s crawling out of the bushes. That it, unlike me, feels like coming out of hiding and is fighting to be heard.
The amp is a metaphor. Read into it what you will.
2) And below are some of the things I’ve been listening to while walking.
playlists:
I know you know this, but April lasted approximately 400 days. Some of those days were soundtracked by pure nostalgia and others demanded that I flood my ears with sounds I’d never heard before. April’s playlist came out a strange amalgam of the two.
I’ll pretend May is already over if you’ll pretend along with me.
There’s a company here called Fine Southern Gentlemen that sells a t-shirt that reads “You can only trust yourself and the second Gerry Rafferty album”. That t-shirt sparked the idea for this entire playlist a couple months back - Forgot about everything and eased my mind - and I haven’t even bought it yet.
(As a side note, in addition to promoting Gerry Rafferty, FSG is currently supporting local Austin businesses and music venues by helping them generate revenue through merch. I know there’s not a lot of extra going around these days, but if you’re in Austin or care about it or just need another t-shirt and have something to spare, consider throwing some dollars towards one of the businesses they’re working with. Currently, one of my favorite venues and a charity near to my heart could both use a hand.)
albums:
A lot of really great albums have come out lately. At some point I will try and put thoughts together about Fiona, and the new Katie Von Schleicher. About the Woods album and probably about The Strokes, too. Definitely about Car Seat Headrest. We should probably also talk about Tidiane Thiam, about Nation of Language, and about Mei Ehara. We should, and we will, but today the main thing is…
The End of History is back.
Fionn Regan’s debut album has meant many things to mean since it was originally released in 2006. It’s the reason I once flew across the country to stand in a small room in the Bowery and tried not to cry too much about hurricanes. It’s the reason I’ll never forget where I was the first time I listened to Bon Iver’s 22, A Million and my heart caught in my throat and I had to remember what it is to breathe.* It’s the only thing I search for regularly on ebay.
For years, The End of History wasn’t streamable and it wasn’t easily bought. That changed last week. Give it a listen.
*The album’s closing track samples “Abacus”, which, at the time, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to easily hear again. I was in a coffee shop, way too late, and not in my usual spot. I had to step outside.
songs:
Sharon Van Etten recently covered “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” so, clearly it was time to make another playlist that was just different versions the same song over and over again.
Jenny O’s “I Don’t Want to Live Alone Anymore” is my quarantine anthem, down to the detail about eating too much popcorn and reading too many books.
Pure Cinema off of the new Thao & The Get Down Stay Down album is so so good for dancing down an empty alley when I’m too in my head about eating too much popcorn and reading too many books.
wash your hands, be gentle with each other, and as always…
listen to ted hawkins.