Bandwagon

The Hours

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:24:00 +0000

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon.

Thank You, Visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:10:00 +0000

The past two weeks has shown a three-fold increase in the number of unique visitors to this site. To even have one person visit my site on a daily basis is enough to keep plugging away, but the numbers I've been seeing of late are pretty darn humbling. I can certainly thank my pal over at Largeheartedboy for linking to my lists, Brent Best for a wonderful interview and all the great music being made that continues to inspire me day in and day out. I have never made a penny off of this blog and still have no plans to attempt to do so. I think I flirted with advertising for a few hours before laughing at myself. This is just a labor of love. I write what inspires me in that exact moment or over the course of time. I attempt to keep the personal stuff off here, but once in a while, I suppose I let a bit out.

In other news: With money beginning to tighten up quite a bit and the unemployment office driving me to the brink of irreparable insanity (I'm owed for seven weeks and counting), I have slightly picked up my employment search, but unlike times past when a paycheck could be enough to lure me in, I will now only work for a company whose vision I believe in. In this economy, finding openings at such organizations is not easy (but man am I crossing my fingers on one gig). I'm a bit torn as I've made a lot of headway of late with writing (a number of short stories in the bag), photography (I think I have just about enough pictures that I'm happy with to compile a book or something) and although the novel has slowed due to a number of factors, I am still pretty far into it and plan on completing a first draft in the coming weeks.

All that said, again, thank you for reading, watching videos, reading my manic tirades on music, politics, art, culture, wiffle ball and all the rest.

Tonight I will see Son Volt at the Fillmore. In a few days I'll hang with a good friend from New Orleans before seeing another buddy do a short story reading. And if I can somehow muster it up, Sunday I'll be driving to Joshua Tree to see Easton and the rest. Not too bad.

And anyone who knows me, knows full well what song comes next:

Sunday in Joshua Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Oh screw it, I'm going to see Easton and the Thrift Store All-Stars.

Dear Thrift Store All-Stars: Please all show up. If Mark Olson and Easton play, I will love you and maybe buy a t-shirt or hacky sack.

New Neutral Milk Hotel Videos Surface

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:16:00 +0000

My goodness.

The Knitting Factory, NYC, 1998

Waiting for the School Bus

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Waiting for the School Bus, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon.

I was walking down Waller this morning, listening to Tim Easton on the headphones when I spotted this adorable kid. After walking past, I walked back to gauge if he'd be cool if I take a pic. Without asking, after taking out my iPhone, he gave a nod. Pretty unbelievable that he understood what I was doing.

Favorite Records of 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:04:00 +0000

10 Bap Kennedy : Howl On
I thought Bap had retired from music about a decade ago. Glad I was wrong.
Song : The Right Stuff

9 Neko Case : Middle Cyclone
Initially stunning, the spirit's shelf-life dissipates and it moves from classic to quite nice.
Song : People Got A Lotta Nerve

8 Bonnie "Prince" Billy : Beware
Once it settles, just another solid Oldham record.
Song : You Can't Hurt Me Now

7 The Handsome Family : Honey Moon
Biggest surprise of the year.
Song : Little Sparrows

6 Thao with the Get Down Stay Down : Know Better Learn Faster
Not as good as her debut, but a pretty striking break-up record.
Song : Goodbye Good Luck

5 The Gourds : Haymaker!
One of the most consistent bands of the past decade put out one of their finest collections in years.
Song : Thurman

4 Eels : Hombre Lobo
I love everything Everett touches: music, memoirs, documentaries. Even his dog rules.
Song : In My Dreams

3 Wilco : (The Album)
Certainly a mixed bag, but this one improves over time.
Song : I'll Fight

2 Chip Robinson : Mylow
What a return for the former frontman of Raleigh, NC's The Backsliders. Chip released it on his own, but the record will see an "official" release early in 2010.
Song : Started

1 Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard : One Fast Move or I'm Gone
Far and away the best record I heard this year. I enjoy the record more than the book. Though many words are culled from Kerouac, Jay Farrar has done a masterful job.
Song : One Fast Move or I'm Gone

Close: Tim Easton : Porcupine, Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey : Here and Now, Son Volt : American Central Dust, Camera Obscura : My Maudlin Career, Joe Henry : Blood From the Stars, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit : Seven-Mile Island, Brakes : Touchdown

I Should Hear These: Rosanne Cash : The List, Vic Chesnutt : At The Cut, 7 Worlds Collide : Sun Came Out

Haven't Listened To Enough: David Rawlings Machine : A Friend of a Friend, Reigning Sound : Love and Curses, Bob Dylan : Together Through Life, Yo La Tengo : Popular Songs, Matt & Kim : Grand, Andrew Bird : Noble Beast, Jason Lytle : Yours Truly, The Commuter, Matthew Ryan : Dear Lover

David Dondero "Rothko Chapel"

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:47:00 +0000

I've known this song for less than a week, but it would be pretty tough to overstate how much I love it. I guess it probably has something to do with Dondero's back story (which is still going) and his persona or something.

One day after hearing this song, I walked to Amoeba and bought the record.

Songs of the Decade : Peter Bruntnell "Downtown" (2002)

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:41:00 +0000

In August of 2001, I made my first trip outside of the country. My brother and I were scheduled for about eight days total, jumping from London to Brussels to Amsterdam and back. To this day, whenever I listen to Emmylou Harris' Red Dirt Girl I'm seated on a train, and all I can see, while looking past my sleeping brother, are the never-ending green pastures of Belgium. But our most memorable day, and we had many, was the day my old buddy Mick Spencer drove three hours from outside of London to meet us at a pub on the outskirts of the city. Mick assured me that this was a fantastic place. When we walked in, this young Japanese guy (pictured below) was playing Tom Waits songs, and Waits songs only.

About an hour later, Spencer arrived. We sat for about four hours drinking Guinness pints. We talked about rock n' roll, and well, rock n' roll. My brother and I had plans later so we had to skip out a bit before the dinner hour. When I accessed a computer a few days later in Amsterdam, there was a note from Spencer. He told us that his friend and one of my favorite artists at the time, Peter Bruntnell, arrived about three minutes after we left. Bruntnell took the mic and played a number of songs. Spencer wanted to tell us, but he wasn't sure Bruntnell would make it, and didn't want to hold us up, especially if he never showed. I think of that day every time I hear this song.

Surpassed 100,000 Plays on last.fm

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:02:00 +0000

The song that nailed the 100,000 mark:

I've been an enormous supporter of last.fm over the years. I even moonwalked into the CBS building for a few interviews a few years back. Although I'm really starting to move back to CDs, in addition to vinyl, and don't check my last.fm nearly as often as I used to, I still love the service. That said, with charts and such, they really should have put more product time into connecting people with similar musical tastes. A simple "neighbor" section buried near the bottom just doesn't do the trick.

After 100K tunes, my top 25 artists:

Copenhagen

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:11:00 +0000

Garbage accumulating on the softening shores of Greenland

The Belchatów power plant in Poland

With the largest climate change meetings in world history beginning today, it is absolutely essential that our world leaders take significant action. Domestic polls show that Americans' worries with respect to climate change are evaporating, which comes as little surprise given the general public's now, now, now mentality. I mean, Tiger has another lover ready to tell her story!

I fully understand that we're battling economic horrors and two wars overseas, but if we want to save future generations, we must address this right now. We can't look to a decade from now. Or even five years. Now. Obama made this promise. Let's see if he can live up to this one.

The Kennedy Honors

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Sunday Bargains

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:21:00 +0000

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon.

Found this on the street today. I was walking to Amoeba when I passed a box of records on the sidewalk. A man with a stroller (and baby) was flipping through so I continued walking. One block past, I knew I had to turn back. He was still looking, and had that, "should I just take the whole damn thing" look about him. But he ultimately grabbed one and moved on.

I have no idea of its value, but man, an original pressing of one of the greatest records ever released. I already have it on CD (thanks, Flush) and I bought the 4 Men with Beards vinyl re-issue a few years back, but finding the original Atlantic Mono is pretty darn nice. Thanks, neighbor.

Backstreets

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:27:00 +0000

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon.

Songs of the Decade : The Mendoza Line "A Damn Good Disguise" (2002)

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:31:00 +0000

A rock club within walking distance of my apartment! I never thought it possible during my five years in Brooklyn. I was on 11th Avenue right off Prospect Park West, so aside from the summer shows in the park, there wasn't much I could reach by foot. And this was back when I was going to shows at a furious pace. I told people repeatedly that someone with cash was going to open a place on 5th Avenue. If I didn't have about $9 in savings, I would've gone after it on my own. And then someone did. And after years of waiting, Southpaw, clearly named after the Yankees' Ron Guidry, opened to an almost multiple-neighborhood cheer. Just a few blocks from our beloved O'Connors, we all picked up tickets to see The Mendoza Line on night one. As we chatted with excitement and ripped through every CD on the jukebox, every beer on tap and every corner of our new home, what seemed like 15 people took the stage. Stumbling around, some with instruments, and some kinda just hanging and chatting, a piano led to some random clapping and howling and then, "long for a bar with a quiet room, no one's gonna treat ya like a kid that way" and the entire venue was a bit spellbound. Though consistently inconsistent, on this opening night, The Mendoza Line were the perfect band for this club. They were loud, fun, messy and all-around joyous. And they sure weren't "killing me with protocols."

The Season

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:21:00 +0000

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon.

David Dondero @ NPR Tiny Desk

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:07:00 +0000

Big Sur

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:23:00 +0000

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon.

Songs of the Decade : Okkervil River "John Allyn Smith Sails" (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:35:00 +0000

The story of poet John Berryman, written by Will Sheff, with words, imagery, humor and darkness that even Berryman might appreciate. Thinking that his words were no longer accessible and fueled by alcohol, depression and confusion, at the age of 57 Berryman walked to a Minnesota bridge:

From a bridge on Washington Avenue, the year of 1972
Broke my bones and skull and it was memorable
It was half a second and I was halfway down
Do you think I wanted to turn back around and teach a class
Where you kiss the ass that I've exposed to you

And despite following his father's lead and ending his life, he was able to fly into the brightest winter sun, of this frozen town I'm stripped down to move on. He was seemingly ready, or his deteriorating mind told him so. As the song continues to implore, the band explodes behind Sheff's vocals into the Beach Boys' "Sloop John B" and you're left with a head full of images and words.

John Berryman's Dream Songs

2009 Grammy Nominations!

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:42:00 +0000

It's no secret that the Grammys have been nothing but an absolute joke for many, many years. They're akin to going to a fashion show hosted by Bruno, without the funny parts. I haven't watched since Elliott Smith nervously performed in his white suit. Or wait, was that the Oscars? I did watch a video clip of Costello, Springsteen, etc. performing "London Calling" in tribute to Strummer.

Take a peek at this year's Album of the Year nominees:

* I Am…Sasha Fierce (Beyonce)
* The E.N.D. (the Black Eyed Peas)
* The Fame (Lady Gaga)
* Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King (Dave Matthews Band)
* Fearless (Taylor Swift)

I mean, are YOU KIDDING?!?!?!??! I could understand if those were nominated for Worst Albums of the Year, but best? The BLACK EYES PEAS?!?!?!? BEYONCE?!?!?! TAYLOR MATTHEWS BAND?!?!? Can you fathom sitting down for 50-60 minutes and listening to one of these records front-to-back while not in a straightjacket?

And then there's Best Rock Album:

* Black Ice by AC/DC
* Live From Madison Square Garden by Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
* 21st Century Breakdown by Green Day
* Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King by Dave Matthews Band
* No Line On The Horizon by U2

Eric Clapton and Steve Windwood Live at the Garden???? What human being would listen to this garbage??? AC/DC put out a record this year? U2!!!!!

It's as if the voters are now just completely kidding around. And if they are, well, I give them credit; it's pretty hilarious.

The President

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:20:00 +0000

30,000 Additional Troops

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:39:00 +0000

Unlike Iraq, Afghanistan has never been a war of choice. There are many reasons why we have struggled in Afghanistan, most of which revolve around Bush's decision to focus on Iraq over the people who actually attacked us. These troops should have been deployed into Afghanistan over Iraq years ago.

This may be too little too late, but I support the president on this decision. As I said to a friend today, we're left with the choice of pulling out or escalating and the former scares me slightly more than the latter.

Over the Wires : Brent Best

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:06:00 +0000

I've been fortunate to see some pretty outstanding rock n' roll in my life. Although my tastes can sometimes steer towards the quieter songwriter types (Townes, Rouse, Buckner), when it comes to my love affair with music, there's still nothing that can touch an impassioned rock n' roll show. This is why I've squandered savings and spent chunks of paychecks to see live music for the greater part of the past 15+ years.

When thinking of the most memorable shows, those shows where I walk out sweaty, raspy-voiced and feeling as if I saw and felt something beyond explanation, I revisit about 40 Springsteen shows, along with incredible late nights with Marah, Wilco, Arcade Fire, Centro-matic, The Gourds, Brakes and Apollo Sunshine, to name a few. And then there's the afternoon of March 18, 1999. I was in Austin for my first of six trips to the South by Southwest music conference. Now ten years later, those rainy few hours at Club de Ville in Austin, Texas stand firmly as the day that I was on hand for what I consider the greatest rock show of my life. And the band to put on that set was Denton, Texas' Slobberbone.

If memory serves, this was my second Slobberbone show (Brownies in NYC being the first). Performing in an absolute downpour with nothing but a scant tent to cover their equipment, Brent Best, Jess Barr, Tony Harper and Brian Lane reminded maybe 100 people that sometimes nothing, absolutely nothing, can transcend the spirit like rock n' roll. After blasting through hard-charging Slobberbone songs, suddenly came the words: "Look out mama, there's a white boat coming up the river, with a big red beacon and a flag and a man on the rail." As the rain drenched us all, I'll never forget turning around to locate my friends in the rear of the venue. Everyone was smiling, dancing, and screaming the lines to Neil Young's "Powderfinger." And after "Barrel Chested," "Front Porch," Judas Priest's "Breakin' the Law" and The Gourds' "Web Before You Walk Into It," to name a few, my favorite Neil Young song was the perfect inclusion.

I've gone on to see Slobberbone, and its sister band The Drams, whenever in Austin or when they make the all-too-rare jaunt out west. Most nights down at South by Southwest, when not watching Brent and his band perform, it seems as if we're almost always at the same shows, taking it in from the audience. Over the years, we've talked about music, books, sports and just about every other topic of interest over beers and smokes, often until the pub doors closed for the night. I consider Brent Best not only one of the greatest songwriters and rock n' roll voices of our time, but also a friend.

In 2004, after four incredible albums, highlighted by 1997's Barrel Chested and 2000s Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today, the band posted a message on their website informing fans that the run was over. Best would gather the majority of Slobberbone to form The Drams, who released the fantastic Jubilee Dive in 2006. But the Slobberbone story wasn't over. Early this year they resurfaced and have since played a date here and there. Despite the excitement surrounding their return, no one knows for sure what's next. I figured it was time we just ask Brent.

I suppose I should just get the obvious one out of the way first. I see that you're playing dates with Slobberbone and solo. Since there's been no official announcement, what does this mean for the band situation? Are The Drams still active? How's it all shaking out?

Drams are still semi-active. We just played a show last night. The idea is to do both but obviously we'll have to kinda focus on one or the other at one time and it looks like we're gonna focus on some Slobberbone stuff for now. Keith and Chad are playing and doing quite well in The King Bucks right now and with Brian back it seems like a good time to fire up Slobbebone and maybe start laying down some tracks. And then hopefully do it all again with The Drams in a year or so. I like the idea of having both and having them be very different things. Solo shows just sorta fill the cracks in between.

How has it been maturing with Jess, Tony and now Brian back in the mix? With families and such, how has that played into the decisions you make around the band(s)?

We're definitely not as balls-out as we once were in regards to just touring all the time like we used to. We have to plan and be a bit more surgical with it but that seems to suit us all just fine nowadays. It could change to some degree once we have a new album we're psyched over but it's fair to say our approach has softened for now to some degree.

I've always thought that "Placemat Blues" was about the music industry/business. I'm guessing its open to interpretation, but am I onto something? Either way, can you share your thoughts on the business.

Most definitely. It was directed a little more to radio at the time (1999) but obviously nothing's gotten better on that front and certainly not with the rest of the old-school industry at large. Of course the internet has leveled the field a great deal but they still seem to be just as backassward as they always were inasmuch as not embracing the inevitable but rather fighting to maintain a status quo that has sucked for years. It's lined their pockets for ages but sucked for everyone else. Now when I see them trying to do things like fight Net Neutrality and suing kids for downloading it just confirms that they are clueless as to what it means to actually be innovative and competitive as companies. Unfortunately, we see that in all areas in these days of bailouts for giant corporations. They got so used to running the show that when they fuck it all up they suddenly abandon all their free-market principles, really, by demonstrating they don't actually want to have to compete or be innovative, but would rather fight to keep an always changing marketplace from changing. Sucks.

What's your relationship with New West right now? Every time I've seen Slobberbone or The Drams play at SXSW, I've always seen Peter Jesperson (A&R for New West, signed and managed The Replacements) and he always looks like a wide-eyed kid.

Haven't talked much with them as of late but it's because I haven't done anything really since the Drams record. We love Peter very much. He's always graciously hosted us when we were in LA and it's always a blast to get to pick his brain and hear some of the old stories. He is a died-in-the-wool music lover for sure.

As I mention in the introduction, I still cite your SXSW show at Club de Ville in 1999 as the greatest rock n' roll show I've ever attended. I stood next to (The Gourds') Jimmy Smith for most of the show. That is, until he went onstage to sing one of his own songs before forgetting the words and turning it over to you. Given the pouring rain and amount of water that was onstage, people in the crowd were actually a bit worried about you guys. Do you recall that show?

Oh yeah, we still remember that one. We were more than ready to be off that stage once the water rose more than an inch above our pedals but I seem to remember it was Jimmy that was egging us on and then left! It was fun, though, and a lot of people seem to have fond memories of that show. I do remember that none of our shit worked the next night at our actual showcase.

Slobberbone's Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today finished at #2 in the Postcard From Hell poll of the best records of the 2000s (Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot came in first). Better than a Grammy?

Had not heard that. Crazy. What the hell do you do with a Grammy anyways? Can you Ebay them for cash?

Can you tell me about the song "Robert Cole?"

I wrote that some time after SB broke up. I hadn't really written in a while and then that just presented itself one night almost fully formed and really kinda got the wheels cranking for me again. It wasn't really connected to anything else at the time, other than another song I had just written called 'Aunt Ramona' and I didn't really know what it was for. Some time later I was contacted by Tim Lee who was putting together the Larry Brown tribute album Just One More and then I knew what it was for. That was a cool little gift at a time when I was sort of rudderless. It'll probably show up some day on an album of like-minded songs.

One late night at SXSW, I recall you mentioned that your home is basically nothing but CDs. I hate to ask, but can you share some favorites? I won't say "top five or ten," but that's really what I'm getting at.

Yeah, that's tough. A few years ago I moved out to the country into a little shotgun house and all those CD's are behind me in my main center studio room. They just kinda loom there at a time when I rarely buy CD's ever. People give me stuff and I listen online and record a lot of other people's stuff so I've kinda become disjointed from the process of coming in and putting on a record and I don't know how I feel about that. I listen as much as I ever did but the ritual seems to have changed. They're still there and I can't ever relinquish them 'cuz there's always that night when I've got some old thing in my head and am maybe kinda drunk and I can't sleep until I find it and listen to it and then get online and search it and youtube it and read a bunch of bullshit blog posts about it and play some video games and read some more and then maybe go to sleep. I have uncles who can barely get out of their chairs but still keep 7 or 8 tractors in their barns. It's kinda like that.

What are you listening to lately?

Changes weekly, almost daily these days. I guess I've succumbed to the modern-day-induced short attention span but I always end up fixating and staying with the things that grab and shake me. Love The Hold Steady. Love the new Low Anthem disc. Isbell's newest. A lot of local stuff here, The Slow Burners in particular and a duo called RTB2. And of course, Glossary. Best band in America, maybe.

Got a good book recommendation?

Larry Brown, always. Cormac of course, Crews. There's so much, you just gotta dig. Right now I'm reading a book on the history of Amsterdam by Geert Mak that a friend of mine from there gave me and I'm totally enthralled. Sometimes I need great fiction and sometimes I need compelling facts and in the end they mostly do the same thing for me.

And lastly, for fans who are itching for something new out of Slobberbone or The Drams, anything we can pass along?

We're looking to start woodshedding and screwing around with some new Slobberbone demos so we'll just have to see what happens. We never ever really had a plan before we ever started anything and we still don't. We'll just let it tell us what to do, if anything.

Also, I don't know when you're planning to post this, but being how my online acumen has severely waned the last few years and I don't have a lot of outlets on my own, I'd like to let people know that Slobberbone will be on the road starting Dec. 1 in Little Rock at The Whitewater Taven, Dec. 2 at Newby's in Memphis, Dec. 3 in Nashville, Dec. 4 in Knoxville, and Dec. 5 at Smith's Old Bar in Atlanta. Come see us and let's have a drink. Thanks for the interest and take care, buddy,

brent

24 Books

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:48:00 +0000

Cheese by Willem Elsschot, Fiction, 1933 : 7.9

Pitchfork Tosses My Top Album of the Year a 4.9

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:33:00 +0000

I checked PF today for the first time in a week or so. They have finally gotten around to reviewing the Farrar/Gibbard record. This is the site that gives 8.0+ ratings to absolute wankery like Foals, Yeasayer, and man, I can't even recall the names of all those crap noodlers that they adore.

To give One Fast Move or I'm Gone an awful rating is just downright silly. It's a very good, if not great record. This site jumped the shark years ago, but this is the nail. What basura.

Songs of the Decade : Wilco "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" (2002)

noreply@blogger.com (Campbell) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:44:00 +0000

I suppose it's pretty rare that songs play a part in a monumental change in your life. I can think of a handful that have truly changed something inside of me for good. Most likely, that shift is the result of some life happening that ties into that song: lost love, death, birth, falling in love, viewing something in nature, etc. Wilco's "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" is one of those songs. I got my hands on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, from what I remember, a few months before 9/11. I was absolutely floored. It took me weeks to get even a little understanding of the complexity of the album, but it was the lead track that had my jaw on the ground. Opening with fuzz, distortion, bells, buzzes, clocks and pianos, the song felt like a soul-altering listen. And then came the acoustic strum and the erratic drums. And then, "I am an aquarium drinker, I assassin down the avenue, I'm hiding out in the big city blinking, what was I thinking when I let go of you" followed by organs, cascading guitars, tight drum fills, slaps and a near explosion of words and sound.

And then came September 11, 2001. And this record was a musical version of the chaos that I witnessed for one day beginning on the F train around 9am.